Cellular immunity to cytomegalovirus in a patient following bone marrow transplantation

Cell-mediated immunity to cytomegalovirus (CMV) was studied in a bone marrow transplant patient with evidence of active CMV infection. The lymphocytes from this patient were found to specifically recognize and respond in vitro by transformation to CMV-infected Wistar-38 fibroblasts and by production of macrophage migration inhibition factor to CMV antigen. In addition, plasma and spinal fluid from the patient were found to contain blocking factor that specifically inhibited the lymphocyte response in the above assays. Biochemical, biophysical, and immunological studies indicate that the blocking factor may be an antigen-antibody complex.