CD56+ T cells are increased in kidney transplant patients following cytomegalovirus infection. Issue 4 (3rd July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Almehmadi, M.; Hammad, A.; Heyworth, S.; Moberly, J.; Middleton, D.; Hopkins, M.J.; Hart, I.J.; Christmas, S.E.
• Is Part Of: Transplant infectious disease. Volume 17:Issue 4(2015)
• Page Start: 518
• Page End: 526
• Publication Date: 2015-07-03
• Subjects: Transplantation of organs, tissues, etc -- Complications -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 617.01
• DOI: 10.1111/tid.12405
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1398-2273

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tid12405-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="tid12405-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>CD56+ T cells previously have been identified as potentially cytotoxic lymphocytes, and relative numbers are increased in some infectious diseases.</p> </sec> <sec id="tid12405-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Patients and methods</title> <p>Relative proportions of CD56+ T cells were measured by flow cytometry in groups of renal transplant patients differing in cytomegalovirus (CMV) status of donor (D) and recipient (R). These measurements were related to episodes of CMV viremia.</p> </sec> <sec id="tid12405-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Patient groups in which recipients (R+) or donors (D+/R−) were CMV+ had significantly higher proportions of CD56+ T cells (5.11 ± 0.69% and 5.42 ± 1.01%, respectively) than the D−/R− group (1.9 ± 0.35%; <italic>P</italic> = 0.0018 and 0.017, respectively). In the high‐risk D+/R− group, it was found that patients who had post‐transplant CMV viremia had higher levels than those who remained CMV negative (9.09 ± 2.34% vs. 3.16 ± 1.22%; <italic>P</italic> = 0.01). CD56+ T cells from R+ and D+/R− groups had higher proportions of both CD4+ and CD8+ cells than the D−/R− group. When activation markers were examined, some CD56+ T cells from both CMV+ groups had a T<sub>EM</sub> phenotype, with significantly more expressing CD45RO and NKG2C, and less expressing CD28, CD62L, CD127, and CD161 compared to the D−/R− group. Some CD56+ T cells showed specificity for CMV antigens and similar proportions of CD8+ cells were positive for class I HLA‐CMV tetramers containing immunodominant CMV peptides compared to the majority CD56− T cells.</p> </sec> <sec id="tid12405-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>The results show significant increases in proportions of CD56+ T cells in relation to CMV infection in renal transplant patients and suggest that these cells have a cytotoxic function against CMV‐infected cells.</p> </sec> </abstract>