title: Diagnostic potential of tetramer-based monitoring of cytomegalovirus-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a significant problem in allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients despite the availability of effective antiviral drugs. This problem concerns patients which are unable to mount an effective T-lymphocyte response against CMV. Therefore, the development and use of tetramer technology to enumerate CMV-specific T cells will be valuable to identify these patients as early as possible. Here, we review clinical studies in which CMV-specific CD8(+) T cells have been monitored in allogeneic SCT recipients using tetramers in the context of similar studies that are based on functional assays of CMV-specific T cells. The results thus far warrant the further development of tetramer technology as a diagnostic tool to monitor CMV-specific T cells in SCT recipients and other groups of immunocompromised patients threatened by CMV.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Tumor Immunology, Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands. gratama@immh.azr.nl
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gratama
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cornelissen
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006680:HLA Antigens