title: Frequency of human cytomegalovirus-specific T cells during pregnancy determined by intracellular cytokine staining.
abstract: The characteristics of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T-cell immunity was investigated in pregnant women with primary, latent, or reactivated CMV infection, and in a comparative group of non-pregnant women. Forty-six pregnant and 8 non-pregnant women were examined based on the presence of serum antibody activity against CMV and viral excretion in urine. The frequency of CMV-specific CD4(+) T cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes was determined by staining for intracellular cytokines, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. There was no change in the frequencies of CMV-specific CD4(+) T cells in CMV-seropositive normal non-pregnant and pregnant women at any gestation. However, the frequency of CMV-specific CD4(+) T cells in pregnant women associated with CMV reactivation or reinfection was significantly higher than in CMV-seropositive normal pregnant and non-pregnant women. There were no CMV transmissions to the infants of all these women. These CMV-specific T cells responses in pregnant women may contribute some to block the intrauterine CMV infection in their infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Numazaki
authors.forename: Hideomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asanuma
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma