Cytomegalovirus infection in transplant recipients resolves when circulating gammadelta T lymphocytes expand, suggesting a protective antiviral role.
gammadelta T cells undergo massive expansion in the peripheral blood of renal transplant recipients who are infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV). In a 3-year prospective study, the relationship between the evolution of CMV infection and the kinetics of gammadelta T cell amplification was followed for 10 months after transplantation. Patients with late gammadelta T cell expansion (>/=45 days) had significantly longer (P<.0001) and higher (P<.0003) pp65 antigenemia and more-symptomatic CMV disease than did patients with early expansion. Analysis of data for each patient showed that gammadelta T cell expansion is concomitant with the resolution of CMV infection and disease, regardless of the CMV serologic status of donor and recipient before transplantation. These observations point to gammadelta T cell percentage determination as a new, rapid, and reliable prognosis factor to predict the resolution of CMV infection and strongly suggest that gammadelta T cells play a protective role against CMV infection.
Lafarge
X
X
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 5540, Université Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France.
Merville
P
P
Cazin
M C
MC
Bergé
F
F
Potaux
L
L
Moreau
J F
JF
Déchanet-Merville
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D010750:Phosphoproteins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C065418:cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa