Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified a key protein that allows the virus that causes genital herpes to enter the nervous system. The findings, made in experiments on mice, could pave the way for future vaccines against the disease.
Genital herpes is primarily transmitted through sexual contact and is one of the most common viral infections in the world. The HSV-2 virus establishes a lifelong infection by entering nerve cells, where it remains dormant for long periods and later reactivates.
Many people who carry the virus do not experience any noticeable symptoms, but some people experience recurring symptoms such as tenderness, burning, blisters, and ulcers. Symptoms can be alleviated with medications, but despite extensive research, there is no approved vaccine for HSV-2.
The study, published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, reports the discovery of a protein that plays a key role in the movement of HSV-2 from the site of infection to the nervous system. The same protein also holds promise as a target for future vaccines.
protective immune response
The researchers looked at glycoprotein G, a protein found on the surface of viruses and infected cells. Experiments using mice infected with genital HSV-2 showed that viruses lacking a certain membrane-bound glycoprotein G were able to grow in mucous membranes but had a severely reduced ability to spread to nervous tissue and the central nervous system.
This suggests that glycoprotein G plays an important role in the ability of the virus to reach and infect the nervous system. ”
Eva Könighofer, microbiologist and infectious disease researcher, University of Gothenburg
It was also clear that this protein could be a target for future vaccines. Mice immunized with glycoprotein G developed both a strong antibody response and a strong T cell response. This immune response protects against genital herpes and spreads to the nervous system.
dual function
The study also shows that sugar molecules naturally attached to glycoprotein G, so-called glycans, are important for eliciting an optimal immune response. When these sugar structures were removed, both the T cell response and the protective effect were weakened.
Therefore, our findings indicate a dual function of glycoprotein G. This protein not only helps the virus spread to the nervous system, but can also be used to stimulate protective immunity.
“Our results identify glycoprotein G as a virulence factor and a promising vaccine target. This provides a strong rationale for including glycosylated forms of the protein in future herpes vaccine development,” says Rickard Norden, microbiologist and associate professor at the University of Gothenburg.
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Reference magazines:
Koenighofer, E. Others. (2026) Glycoprotein G enables HSV-2 neuroinvasion and provides protection as a glycosylated vaccine antigen. PLOS Pathogen. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1014339. https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014339
