Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte (CTL) Responses to Human Cytomegalovirus pp65, IE1‐Exon4, gB, pp150, and pp28 in Healthy Individuals: Reevaluation of Prevalence of IE1‐Specific CTLs

Abstract

The prevalence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pp65-, pp150-, IE1-exon4-, gB- and pp28-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses was compared among 34 healthy individuals, grouped by neutralizing antibody titers. Moderately and highly seropositive donors showed predominantly pp65- and IE1-exon4-specific CTL responses (92% and 76% of the donors, respectively), with similar precursor frequencies in the 2 donors tested. In addition, highly seropositive and a few moderately seropositive donors showed CTL responses to gB and pp150 (33% and 30% of the donors, respectively). No individual recognized pp28 as a target in the CTL assay. Phenotypic analysis revealed a mixed effector population of CD4+ and CD8+ (1 donor) or only CD8+ cells for pp65-specific effectors (2 donors). IE1-exon4- and pp150-specific effectors were CD8+ (2 donors and 1 donor, respectively), whereas gB-specific CTLs were CD4+ (1 donor). These data may help to design a cellular immunity-based vaccine effective against HCMV diseases.

Simultaneous quantification of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific CD4+ and CD8+T cells by a novel method using monocyte-derived HCMV-infected immature dendritic cells

“…HCMVspecific CD8 + T cell frequency of healthy subjects determined by the method herein reported is similar to those previously reported for IE-or pp65-specific CD8 + T cells [12,16]. Although pp65 and IE proteins are currently considered the predominant viral stimuli of the HCMV-specific cell-mediated immune response, other viral proteins are involved in this process [17]. Indeed, in some subjects of this study, T cell response achieved with peptide pools was reduced or even undetected compared to that obtained using HCMVinfected DC.…”

Independent and Joint Effects of Antibodies to Human Heat-Shock Protein 60 and Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection in the Development of Coronary Atherosclerosis

“…For antigen production, chicken embryo fibroblasts were infected with a recombinant canarypox virus expressing CMV-IE exon4 protein. 20 Parental canarypox virusinfected cell lysate served as control antigen. Serum samples were tested in dilution of 1:100 in a standard ELISA.…”

Vaccination for cytomegalovirus: when, where and how

“…Lower frequencies of CMV-specific CD4 + T-cells and CD45RA + cells in mothers following primary infection is known to be associated with virus transmission to the fetus 9,10 . Based on these observations it can be hypothesised that emergence of higher frequencies of CMV-specific CD4 + , CD8 + and CD45RA + effector memory T-cells may be asso- However, safety concerns raised by experts in the field during an FDA review in 1999 are the major confounders to vaccination with any live attenuated CMV vaccine 14 .…”