Frequency of human cytomegalovirus‐specific T cells during pregnancy determined by intracellular cytokine staining

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Abstract
The characteristics of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T-cell immunity was investigated in pregnant women with primary, latent, or reactivated CMV infection, and in a comparative group of non-pregnant women. Forty-six pregnant and 8 non-pregnant women were examined based on the presence of serum antibody activity against CMV and viral excretion in urine. The frequency of CMV-specific CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes was determined by staining for intracellular cytokines, interferon (IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. There was no change in the frequencies of CMV-specific CD4+ T cells in CMV-seropositive normal non-pregnant and pregnant women at any gestation. However, the frequency of CMV-specific CD4+ T cells in pregnant women associated with CMV reactivation or reinfection was significantly higher than in CMV-seropositive normal pregnant and non-pregnant women. There were no CMV transmissions to the infants of all these women. These CMV-specific T cells responses in pregnant women may contribute some to block the intrauterine CMV infection in their infants. J. Med. Virol. 71:527–531, 2003.