title: The role of Vδ2-negative γδ T cells during cytomegalovirus reactivation in recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains a serious complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, but the role of γδ T cells is undefined. We have studied the immune reconstitution of Vδ2negative (Vδ2neg) γδ T cells, including Vδ1 and Vδ3 subsets and Vδ2positive (Vδ2pos) γδ T cells in 40 patients during the first 24 months after stem cell transplantation. Significant long-term expansions of Vδ2neg but not Vδ2pos γδ T cells were observed during CMV reactivation early after transplantation, suggesting direct involvement of γδ T cells in anti-CMV immune responses. Similarly, significantly higher numbers of Vδ2neg γδ T cells were detected in CMV-seropositive healthy persons compared with seronegative donors; the absolute numbers of Vδ2pos cells were not significantly different. The expansion of Vδ2neg γδ T cells appeared to be CMV-related because it was absent in CMV-negative/Epstein-Barr virus-positive patients. T-cell receptor-δ chain determining region 3 spectratyping of Vδ2neg γδ T cells in healthy subjects and patients showed restricted clonality. Polyclonal Vδ2neg cell lines generated from CMV-seropositive healthy donors and from a recipient of a graft from a CMV-positive donor lysed CMV-infected targets in all cases. Our study shows new evidence for role of γδ T cells in the immune response to CMV reactivation in transplantation recipients.
authors.affiliation: Anthony Nolan Research Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Alejandro J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Madrigal
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grace
authors.forename: Janani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sivakumaran
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kottaridis
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Travers
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lowdell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014775:Virus Activation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta