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Expanding Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes from Umbilical Cord Blood that Target Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr Virus, and Adenovirus
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Immune response to CMV in solid organ transplant recipients: current concepts and future directions

Richard R Watkins1, Tracy L Lemonovich, Raymund R Razonable

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Akron General Medical Center, 224 W. Exchange Street, Akron, OH 44302, USA. rwatkins@agmc.org

Expert Review of Clinical Immunology
|May 22, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains a threat in solid organ transplantation (SOT). Understanding the immune response to CMV post-SOT is crucial for developing novel prevention strategies against this opportunistic pathogen.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Transplantation Medicine
  • Virology

Background:

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant opportunistic pathogen impacting solid organ transplantation (SOT) outcomes.
  • CMV disease, often due to viral reactivation, poses the highest risk in CMV donor-positive and recipient-negative SOT patients.
  • CMV contributes to both direct (e.g., pneumonitis, colitis) and indirect (e.g., rejection, atherosclerosis) complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of the immune response to CMV in SOT recipients.
  • To highlight the role of T cells in controlling CMV reactivation and replication.
  • To discuss how immunosuppressive therapy affects immune responses and contributes to CMV disease pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on CMV immunology and SOT.
  • Analysis of immune system changes (innate and adaptive) following SOT.
  • Examination of CMV-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell functions.

Main Results:

  • Healthy CMV-seropositive individuals possess protective CMV-specific T cells.
  • Immunosuppressive therapy after SOT alters immune defenses, increasing CMV disease risk.
  • CMV disease in SOT recipients is linked to adverse outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • CMV remains a critical challenge in SOT, necessitating further research.
  • Novel strategies for CMV prevention in SOT are actively being investigated.
  • A comprehensive understanding of the immune response is key to mitigating CMV's impact.

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