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Detection of adenovirus‐specific T cells in children with adenovirus infection after allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Author(s) -
Feuchtinger Tobias,
Lücke Julia,
Hamprecht Klaus,
Richard Celine,
Handgretinger Rupert,
Schumm Michael,
Greil Johann,
Bock Thomas,
Niethammer Dietrich,
Lang Peter
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2004.05331.x
Subject(s) - transplantation , stem cell , medicine , immunology , flow cytometry , t cell , ex vivo , in vivo , biology , immune system , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology
Summary Human adenovirus (ADV) infection is an important complication post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT), especially in children, with significant morbidity and mortality despite new antiviral treatment strategies. Although the control of infection seems to require T cells, characterization of ADV‐specific T cells post‐SCT has not been reported to date. Therefore, we prospectively studied the occurrence of ADV‐specific T cells in children with ( n = 21) and without ( n = 25) ADV‐infection postallogeneic SCT and in healthy donors ( n = 53). ADV‐associated mortality occurred in seven of 21 children. After stimulation ex vivo with ADV‐lysate, interferon‐ γ ‐secreting T cells were analysed by flow cytometry. All the patients with ADV‐associated mortality had no specific T cells, although reconstitution of absolute lymphocyte counts exceeded 0·3 × 10 9 /l within 30 d post‐transplant. Patients who cleared ADV infection had significantly higher frequencies (mean ± standard deviation, 0·56 ± 0·5%) of ADV‐specific T cells until day 200 post‐SCT, than patients without ADV‐infection (0·12 ± 0·1%). These data suggest that ADV‐specific T‐cell reconstitution is protective against life‐threatening ADV‐infections postallogeneic SCT.