title: Natural cytotoxic activity against cytomegalovirus-infected target cells following marrow transplantation.
abstract: Forty-five patients at high risk for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection were studied during the first 100 days after marrow transplant to determine the relationship between cytotoxicity against CMV-infected HLA-mismatched target cells and CMV infection. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from 35 patients who developed CMV infection had significantly lower cytotoxicity against CMV-infected targets 20-40 days transplant compared with PBL from normal controls (P = 0.003). Responses by PBL from 10 uninfected transplant recipients were not significantly decreased. The PBL that lysed CMV targets had phenotypic and E-rosetting characteristics consistent with natural killer cells. Cytotoxicity against CMV-infected targets by PBL from patients with acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was reduced 20-40 days after transplant compared with responses by patients without GVHD (P = 0.04). Survival from CMV infection was longer in patients whose PBL had greater than or equal to 15% lysis of CMV-infected targets during the first 20-60 days after transplant (P = 0.04). This study suggests that natural cytotoxicity of CMV targets is an important correlate of the acquisition and outcome of CMV infection after marrow transplant.
authors.affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98104.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Amos
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Meyers
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012306:Risk; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral