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Infection of T but not B lymphocytes by cytomegalovirus in lymph node. An immunophenotypic study
1Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
Insights
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infected T-lymphocytes in a patient showed a lack of specific immune markers. This finding may explain how CMV contributes to immunosuppression in patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Pathology
Background:
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that can cause opportunistic infections.
- Immunosuppression is a state where the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease is compromised.
Observation:
- A patient presented with symptoms including fever, night sweats, and cervical lymphadenopathy.
- Biopsy revealed cytomegalovirus (CMV) inclusions within T-lymphocytes in an enlarged lymph node.
- Immunophenotypic studies identified the infected cells as T-lymphocytes.
Findings:
- CMV-infected T-lymphocytes notably lacked HLA-DR and IL-2R antigens.
- Neighboring, uninfected cells expressed these antigens.
- The absence of HLA-DR and IL-2R on infected cells was observed via electron microscopy.
Implications:
- The lack of HLA-DR and IL-2R expression on CMV-infected T-lymphocytes may be a key mechanism driving CMV-induced immunosuppression.
- Understanding this mechanism could inform strategies for managing CMV infections and associated immune deficiencies.
Abstract:
A 45-year-old black man presented with fever, night sweats, weight loss, and cervical lymphadenopathy. Biopsy of an enlarged node showed partial effacement of the nodal architecture by numerous cells with typical cytomegalovirus (CMV) inclusions. These were also seen by electron microscopy. CMV titers were not elevated, and he tested negative for HIV. An immunophenotypic study done on both paraffin-embedded and frozen tissue showed that the infected cells were of T-lymphocyte phenotype. These cells were remarkable for the lack of HLA-DR and IL-2R antigens, which were expressed by numerous neighboring apparently uninfected cells. The lack of HLA-DR and IL-2R expression by CMV-infected T lymphocytes may be one of the mechanism by which CMV causes immunosuppression.
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