title: Humoral and cellular CMV responses in healthy donors; identification of a frequent population of CMV-specific, CD4+ T cells in seronegative donors.
abstract: CMV status is an important risk factor in immune compromised patients. In hematopoeitic cell transplantations (HCT), both donor and recipient are tested routinely for CMV status by serological assays; however, one might argue that it might also be of relevance to examine CMV status by cellular (i.e., T lymphocyte) assays. Here, we have analyzed the CMV status of 100 healthy blood bank donors using both serology and cellular assays. About half (56%) were found to be CMV seropositive, and they all mounted strong CD8+ and/or moderate CD4+ T cell responses ex vivo against the immunodominant CMV protein, pp65. Of the 44 seronegative donors, only five (11%) mounted ex vivo T cell responses; surprisingly, 33 (75%) mounted strong CD4+ T cell responses after a brief in vitro peptide stimulation culture. This may have significant implications for the analysis and selection of HCT donors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Loeth
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Assing
authors.forename: Hans O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vindeløv
authors.forename: Soren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buus
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stryhn
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C065418:cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa