Human herpesvirus 6 infection inhibits specific lymphocyte proliferation responses and is related to lymphocytopenia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection and the HHV-6-specific lymphocyte proliferation response were studied longitudinally in 24 patients in the first 3 months after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). HHV-6 DNAemia was analyzed by a nested PCR method, and the HHV-6-specific lymphocyte proliferation responses were evaluated with a standard lymphocyte proliferation assay. All patients who responded to HHV-6 GS (variant A) antigen also responded to HHV-6 Z29 (variant B) antigen, and a response to HHV-6 Z29 antigen was detected more often than to HHV-6 GS antigen after allo-SCT (P = 0.048). HHV-6 DNA was detected in more patients after than before transplantation (P = 0.01) and in more patients with acute GVHD grades II-IV than those without (P = 0.009). An HHV-6-specific proliferative response was more often detected in patients without, than in those with persistent HHV-6 infection (three consecutively positive PBL samples; P < 0.001). Patients with persistent HHV-6 infection had lower lymphocyte counts from the 8th week after transplantation than those without (P = 0.03). No HHV-6-specific proliferation responses were detected in the three patients who developed HHV-6 disease. HHV-6 infection was associated with persistent lymphocytopenia and might thereby inhibit immune function.
Wang
F Z
FZ
Department of Hematology, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Linde
A
A
Dahl
H
H
Ljungman
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral