Humoral and cellular CMV responses in healthy donors; identification of a frequent population of CMV-specific, CD4+ T cells in seronegative donors

TY - JOUR

T1 - Humoral and cellular CMV responses in healthy donors; identification of a frequent population of CMV-specific, CD4+ T cells in seronegative donors

AU - Loeth, Nina

AU - Assing, Kristian

AU - Madsen, Hans O

AU - Vindeløv, Lars

AU - Buus, Soren

AU - Buus, Anette Stryhn

PY - 2012/2/7

Y1 - 2012/2/7

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes

KW - CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes

KW - Cytomegalovirus

KW - Cytomegalovirus Infections

KW - Humans

KW - Immunity, Cellular

KW - Immunity, Humoral

KW - Phosphoproteins

KW - Tissue Donors

KW - Viral Matrix Proteins

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0031420

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0031420

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22347475

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 7

JO - PLoS Computational Biology

JF - PLoS Computational Biology

IS - 2

M1 - e31420

ER -