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  • Title: Monitoring of Epstein-Barr virus load and killer T cells in pediatric renal transplant recipients.
    Author: Sato T, Fujieda M, Maeda A, Tanaka E, Miyamura M, Chikamoto H, Hisano M, Akioka Y, Ishiura Y, Dohno S, Hattori M, Wakiguchi H.
    Journal: Clin Nephrol; 2008 Nov; 70(5):393-403. PubMed ID: 19000539.
    Abstract:
    AIM: The aim of this study is to establish a monitoring method to prevent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated symptoms including post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) that occur after pediatric renal transplantation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Circulating EBV loads were quantified by real-time PCR every 1 - 3 months after grafting in 22 pediatric recipients (13 EBV-seronegative [R(-)] and 9 EBV-seropositive [R(+)] recipients before grafting). The peripheral blood cell populations of non-specific activated killer cells (CD8+HLA-DR+ phenotype) in 13 R(-) recipients and EBV-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) reactive with a tetramer expressing HLA-A24-restricted EBV-specific antigens in 8 of 13 R(-) recipients were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: EBV-associated symptoms including PTLD (2 cases) were found in 4 R(-) and none of the R(+) recipients. The maximum of EBV load in the R(-) group was significantly higher that in the R(+) group. In R(-) recipients, 4 symptomatic cases had significantly more EBV genome than asymptomatic cases. EBV-specific CTLs were detected in 6 of the 8 R(-) recipients, but these CTLs could not be detected in 1 of the 2 cases at onset of PTLD. The percentage of CD8+HLA-DR+ cells was significantly higher in asymptomatic recipients than in recipients with EBV-associated symptoms whose EBV loads were over 400 copies/microg DNA. CONCLUSION: Monitoring of killer T cells and EBV loads may allow assessment of the risk of EBV-associated symptoms, and high EBV loads and low EBV-specific and/or non-specific CTL responses may be predictive for development of EBV-associated symptoms such as PTLD.
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