Reinfection of cytomegalovirus in renal transplantation

Fukushima J Med Sci. 2011;57(1):1-10. doi: 10.5387/fms.57.1.

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most important pathogen affecting the outcome of renal transplantation. Reinfection of CMV can occur in CMV-seropositive donors and CMV seropositive recipients (D+/R+) settings because the protection against CMV conferred by preexisting immunity is limited due to its strain-dependent immune responses. To analyze the influence of CMV reinfection in renal transplantation, ELISA using fusion proteins encompassing epitope of glycoprotein H(gH) from both AD169 and Towne strains was employed before transplantation. The CMV-gH seropositive rate increased with increases in age and the rate of samples which contained antibodies against both AD169 and Towne were significantly high in the age of 50 years or over. Antibodies from HLA-DR10 and DR11 were associated with a significantly lower response rate against CMV-gH. In renal transplantation, the high degrees of antigenemia and high incidences of CMV disease are more prevalent in the CMV gH antibody-mismatched group in D+/R+ setting. The nucleotide sequence of the region of the gH epitope in the CMV-DNA extracted from the transplant recipients who showed high degree of antigenemia revealed the CMV reinfection from the donors. As a CMV indirect effect, the incidence of acute rejection in the mismatched gH antibody group was higher than that observed in the matched and D+/R- groups. The adverse events were more likely to occur in cases of D+/R+ renal transplantation with mismatched strain-specific antibodies which would indicates the risk of CMV reinfection after transplantation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Base Sequence
  • Cytomegalovirus / immunology*
  • Cytomegalovirus / pathogenicity
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / etiology*
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / immunology
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • HLA-DR Antigens / immunology
  • HLA-DR Antigens / metabolism
  • HLA-DR Serological Subtypes
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • HLA-DR Antigens
  • HLA-DR Serological Subtypes
  • HLA-DR10 antigen
  • HLA-DR11 antigen
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • glycoprotein H, Cytomegalovirus