title: Identification of varicella-zoster virus-specific CD8 T cells in patients after T-cell-depleted allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: To study the role of CD8 T cells in the control of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation, we developed multimeric major histocompatibility complexes to identify VZV-specific CD8 T cells. Potential HLA-A2 binding peptides from the putative immediate-early 62 protein (IE62) of VZV were tested for binding, and peptides with sufficient binding capacity were used to generate pentamers. Patients with VZV reactivation following stem cell transplantation were screened with these pentamers, leading to the identification of the first validated class I-restricted epitope of VZV. In 42% of HLA-A2 patients following VZV reactivation, these IE62-ALW-A2 T cells could be detected ex vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. P.L.J.van_der_Heiden@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Pim L J
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: van der Heiden
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: Dirk M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: van der Steen
authors.forename: Michel G D
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kester
authors.forename: Menno W A G
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: van der Hoorn
authors.forename: Wilmy M E
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Haarman
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Barnby-Porritt
authors.forename: Jeremy W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Fry
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Napper
authors.forename: Erik W A
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Marijt
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willemze
authors.forename: J H Frederik
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Falkenburg
authors.forename: Mirjam H M
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Heemskerk
mesh_terms: D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; C074221:IE62 protein, Human herpesvirus 3; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins