title: Immune response to HHV-6 and implications for immunotherapy.
abstract: Most adults remain chronically infected with HHV-6 after resolution of a primary infection in childhood, with the latent virus held in check by the immune system. Iatrogenic immunosuppression following solid organ transplantation (SOT) or hematopoetic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can allow latent viruses to reactivate. HHV-6 reactivation has been associated with increased morbidity, graft rejection, and neurological complications post-transplantation. Recent work has identified HHV-6 antigens that are targeted by the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response in chronically infected adults. T cell populations recognizing these targets can be expanded in vitro and are being developed for use in autologous immunotherapy to control post-transplantation HHV-6 reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Aniuska
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Becerra
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States. Electronic address: lawrence.Stern@umassmed.edu.
authors.forename: Lawrence J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
authors.forename: J Mauricio
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Calvo-Calle
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014775:Virus Activation; D017735:Virus Latency