Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients
Issued Date
2023-11-04
Resource Type
eISSN
19994915
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85177798646
Pubmed ID
38005890
Journal Title
Viruses
Volume
15
Issue
11
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Viruses Vol.15 No.11 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Getsuwan S., Apiwattanakul N., Lertudomphonwanit C., Hongeng S., Boonsathorn S., Manuyakorn W., Tanpowpong P., Anurathapan U., Tangnararatchakit K., Treepongkaruna S. Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients. Viruses Vol.15 No.11 (2023). doi:10.3390/v15112213 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/91306
Title
Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major opportunistic infection after liver transplantation (LT) that necessitates monitoring. Because of the lack of studies in children, we aimed to investigate CMV-specific T cell immune reconstitution among pediatric LT recipients. The recipients were monitored for CMV infection and CMV-specific T cells from the start of immunosuppressive therapy until 48 weeks after LT. Clinically significant CMV viremia (csCMV) requiring preemptive therapy was defined as a CMV load of >2000 IU/mL. Peripheral blood CMV-specific T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry based on IFNγ secretion upon stimulation with CMV antigens including immediate early protein 1 (IE1) Ag, phosphoprotein 65 (pp65) Ag, and whole CMV lysate (wCMV). Of the 41 patients who underwent LT, 20 (48.8%) had csCMV. Most (17/20 patients) were asymptomatic and characterized as experiencing CMV reactivation. The onset of csCMV occurred approximately 7 weeks after LT (interquartile range: 4-12.9); csCMV rarely recurred after preemptive therapy. Lower pp65-specific CD8+ T cell response was associated with the occurrence of csCMV (p = 0.01) and correlated with increased viral load at the time of csCMV diagnosis (ρ = -0.553, p = 0.02). Moreover, those with csCMV had lower percentages of IE1-specific CD4+ and wCMV-reactive CD4+ T cells at 12 weeks after LT (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively). Despite intense immunosuppressive therapy, CMV-specific T cell immune reconstitution occurred in pediatric patients post-LT, which could confer protection against CMV reactivation.