AUGMENTATION OF GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST REACTION BY CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION RESULTING IN INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONITIS

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Abstract
The severity of the graft-vs.-host (GVH) reaction, judged by splenomegaly and immunosuppression, was augmented by murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection. Profound GVH-induced immunosuppression was seen in adult unirradiated MCMV-infected F1, mice even after challenge with extremely low doses of parental spleen cells. Mice receiving MCMC + GVH challenge died from days 16-21, with interstitial pneumonia being the most prominent pathological lesion. Pulmonary disease was unrelated to levels of viral replication in the lung. In human marrow recipients, cytomegalovirus infection may play a primary role both in provoking or accentuating GVH disease, as well as in the development of interstitial pneumonia.