High frequency of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific CD8 + -T cells detected in a healthy CMV-seropositive donor
- 1 June 2002
- journal article
- case report
- Published by Springer Nature in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
- Vol. 59 (6) , 1076-1080
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-002-8488-5
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) persists after infection but is controlled by cellular immune responses, particularly by CD8+ T cells. If infected individuals are immunosuppressed, HCMV can be reactivated. Upon testing the blood of healthy donors with human lymphocyte antigen tetramers, we found one individual with about 50 % of his CD8+ T cells being specific for the immunodominant pp65 epitope NLVPMVATV. Over a period of 2 years the high level of HCMV-specific T cells was maintained, and no HCMV DNA could be detected. At one timepoint, however, HCMV-specific DNA was detected, while 65 % of CD8+ T cells were specific for HCMV. When virus was detectable, a lower percentage of HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells showed interferon γ (IFN-γ) production after peptide stimulation in vitro. These data suggest that HCMV reactivation may also occur in immunocompetent persons, accompanied by the presence of HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells which are not producing IFNγ, and therefore potentially anergic or in vivo exhausted.Keywords
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