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Updated: Feb 21, 2026
Use of In vivo Imaging to Monitor the Progression of Experimental Mouse Cytomegalovirus Infection in Neonates
Published on: July 6, 2013
Human Cytomegalovirus-Specific Memory CD4+ T-Cell Response and Its Correlation With Virus Transmission to the Fetus
Chiara Fornara1,2, Irene Cassaniti1, Maurizio Zavattoni1
1Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department.
Background:
Primary human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection during pregnancy is the major cause of congenital viral sequelae. The HCMV-specific T-cell response may have a role in the prevention of virus transmission to the fetus.
Methods:
HCMV-specific memory T cells were investigated in the second month after primary infection onset in 44 pregnant women (15 transmitting the infection to the fetus) and 8 pregnant women with remote infection. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated for 12 days with peptide pools of HCMV proteins IE-1, IE-2, and pp65, and subsequently restimulated for 24 hours with the same peptide pools in a cultured enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay.
Results:
In pregnant women with primary infection, the cultured ELISPOT assay detected a higher T-cell response to pp65 than to IE-1 or IE-2, whereas in remote infection pp65-, IE-1-, and IE-2-specific T cells were detected at comparable levels. During primary infection, the cultured ELISPOT response was mainly mediated by CD4+ T cells, and was lower than in remote infection. Strikingly, the cultured ELISPOT response to pp65 (but not to IE-1 or IE-2) was significantly higher in nontransmitting mothers. To detect other factors potentially associated with nontransmission, different serological parameters were analyzed. Only immunoglobulin G avidity index was higher in nontransmitting mothers, who showed also a lower DNAemia level. These 2 parameters remained associated with congenital infection in multivariate analysis.
Conclusions:
Determination of HCMV-specific T cells by cultured ELISPOT, in pregnant women with primary HCMV infection, in association with avidity index and DNAemia may help to assess the risk of HCMV fetal transmission.
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