Cytokine response and polymerase chain reaction study of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in infants with human cytomegalovirus infection.
We tried to detect human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes from fourteen infants with HCMV hepatitis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. HCMV was isolated from their urine and anti-HCMV IgM antibody was detected in their sera. One set of primers were designed from a region--a major immediate early (IE) gene. We detected HCMV IE DNA in the specimens obtained from six infants. HCMV IE DNA was detected from CD4+ cells in two cases and from CD8+ cells in one. In three cases, HCMV IE DNA was detected from both CD4+ and CD8+ cells. We also studied the relationship between HCMV infection and serum levels of cytokines. We determined serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) which were associated with the activation of T lymphocytes by enzyme immunoassay. In the acute phase of HCMV infection, titers of sIL-2R were correlated with serum levels of liver enzymes in some cases. IL-4 and TNF-alpha activities were not detected in sera. It is likely that expression of viral genome on T lymphocytes as well as activities of some cytokines are associated with active HCMV infection.
Asanuma
H
H
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Japan.
Numazaki
K
K
Nagata
N
N
Chiba
S
S
D001483:Base Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007223:Infant; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4