Open AccessEnrichment of Cytomegalovirus-induced NKG2C+ Natural Killer Cells in the Lung Allograft
Author(s) -
Christopher M. Harpur,
Sanda Stankovic,
Abbie Kanagarajah,
Jacqueline M.L. Widjaja,
B. Levvey,
Y. Cristiano,
Greg Snell,
Andrëw G. Brööks,
Glen Westall,
Lucy C. Sullivan
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.45
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1534-6080
pISSN - 0041-1337
DOI - 10.1097/tp.0000000000002545
Subject(s) - immunology , bronchoalveolar lavage , cytomegalovirus , lung , medicine , receptor , human cytomegalovirus , virus , viral disease , herpesviridae
In lung transplant recipients, immunosuppressive medications result in impaired antiviral immunity and a propensity for cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation within the lung allograft. Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in immunity to CMV, with an increase in the proportion of NK cells expressing activating CD94-NKG2C receptors in the blood being a strong correlate of CMV infection. Whether a similar increase in NKG2C NK cells occurs in lung transplant recipients following CMV reactivation in the allograft and if such cells contribute to viral control remains unclear.