NKG2C Deletion Is a Risk Factor for Human Cytomegalovirus Viremia and Disease After Lung Transplantation. (6th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vietzen, Hannes; Pollak, Karin; Honsig, Claudia; Jaksch, Peter; Puchhammer-Stöckl, Elisabeth
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 217:Number 5(2018)
• Page Start: 802
• Page End: 806
• Publication Date: 2017-12-06
• Subjects: human cytomegalovirus -- NK cells -- NKG2C -- genetic variants -- lung transplantation; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix608
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract : Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may cause severe infections after transplantation. Here we show that development of HCMV viremia and disease in lung transplant recipients is significantly associated with homo- or heterozygous deletion of the natural killer cell receptor NKG2C. Abstract: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication is limited by HCMV-specific natural killer (NK) cell response. Distinct genetic polymorphisms, which are potentially involved in antiviral NK cell response, have been described. Here, the association between polymorphisms at IgG1 genetic marker 3/17, FcγRIIIα/CD16a 158V/F, NKG2C wt/del, CD226/rs727088, and rs763361, respectively, and HCMV viremia and disease were investigated in 98 lung transplant recipients (LTRs), within 9 months after stop of posttransplant HCMV prophylaxis. From all variants, only the NKG2C wt/wt genotype was significantly associated with freedom from HCMV viremia ( P = .0002) and disease ( P = .02), compared with the NKG2C wt/del genotype. Thus, LTRs expressing the homozygous NKG2C wild type seem to have a selective advantage in HCMV defense.