title: Performance of the QuantiFERON-cytomegalovirus (CMV) assay for detection and estimation of the magnitude and functionality of the CMV-specific gamma interferon-producing CD8(+) T-cell response in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients.
abstract: The performance of the QuantiFERON-cytomegalovirus (CMV) assay was compared to that of a flow cytometry intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) method for the detection of CMV-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing CD8(+) T-cell responses in allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT) recipients and for estimations of their magnitude and functionality. A total of 90 whole-blood specimens from 23 allo-SCT recipients was analyzed by both methods. Overall, the percentage of specimens that yielded concordant results by both methods was 68.8% (κ = 0.691; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.548 to 0.835), and the sensitivity of the QuantiFERON-CMV assay for the detection of positive IFN-γ T-cell responses (>0.2 IU/ml), taking the ICS method as the reference, was 76.3%. The magnitude of IFN-γ-producing CD8(+) T-cell responses to CMV-specific peptides measured with the QuantiFERON-CMV assay correlated significantly (σ = 0.695; P = <0.001) with that of the total IFN-γ-producing CD8(+) T cells and dual-functional (IFN-γ/tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α] [σ = 0.652; P = <0.001] and IFN-γ/CD107a [σ = 0.690; P = <0.001]) and trifunctional (IFN-γ/TNF-α/CD107a [σ = 0.679; P = >0.001]) CMV-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses, as quantitated by ICS. In summary, the data indicated that the QuantiFERON-CMV assay is less sensitive than the ICS method for the detection of CMV-specific IFN-γ-producing CD8(+) T-cell responses in the allo-SCT setting. Nevertheless, it allowed the estimation of the total and polyfunctional CMV-specific IFN-γ-producing CD8(+) T-cell responses in specimens that tested positive by both methods.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Service, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Clari
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Cobo
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Solano
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Benet
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Remigia
authors.forename: Dayana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amat
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Navarro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014180:Transplantation