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CMV infection
Transplanting a small number of antiviral memory T cells along with donor hematopoietic stem cells can fight and may even prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in transplant recipients, according to preclinical research published in the Journal of Immunology.
To date, researchers have focused on developing anti-CMV immunotherapy with effector-phenotype CD8+ T cells (TEFF cells), which attack and kill virally infected host cells.
But Christopher Snyder, PhD, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his colleagues found that CMV-specific TEFF cells divide poorly in response to CMV infection or reactivation in mouse models.
So they wondered if CMV-specific memory-phenotype CD8+ T cells (TM cells)—which act more like stem cells—could help control the infection long-term.
The group showed that a small number of TM cells were enough to produce and repeatedly replenish all of the TEFF cells needed to fight CMV.
The infused TM cells became major contributors to the recipient antiviral immune response, persisting for at least 3 months’ time and producing TEFF cells at a steady stream.
To determine whether these cells have counterparts in humans, Dr Snyder and his colleagues compared the genomic fingerprints of mouse and human TM cells that were specific for CMV. Results showed the two had similar profiles.
“This suggested that human and mouse CMV-specific memory T cells are very similar populations,” said study author Michael Quinn, an MD/PhD student at Thomas Jefferson University.
“Therefore, infusing similar cells into humans could improve on immunotherapeutic methods for controlling CMV infection. This may be a valuable approach to keep the disease from emerging in people.”
Dr Snyder added, “Our data argue for developing new clinical trials focused specifically on using these T memory cells, in order to determine if it would indeed be better than current therapeutic options.” 
CMV infection
Transplanting a small number of antiviral memory T cells along with donor hematopoietic stem cells can fight and may even prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in transplant recipients, according to preclinical research published in the Journal of Immunology.
To date, researchers have focused on developing anti-CMV immunotherapy with effector-phenotype CD8+ T cells (TEFF cells), which attack and kill virally infected host cells.
But Christopher Snyder, PhD, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his colleagues found that CMV-specific TEFF cells divide poorly in response to CMV infection or reactivation in mouse models.
So they wondered if CMV-specific memory-phenotype CD8+ T cells (TM cells)—which act more like stem cells—could help control the infection long-term.
The group showed that a small number of TM cells were enough to produce and repeatedly replenish all of the TEFF cells needed to fight CMV.
The infused TM cells became major contributors to the recipient antiviral immune response, persisting for at least 3 months’ time and producing TEFF cells at a steady stream.
To determine whether these cells have counterparts in humans, Dr Snyder and his colleagues compared the genomic fingerprints of mouse and human TM cells that were specific for CMV. Results showed the two had similar profiles.
“This suggested that human and mouse CMV-specific memory T cells are very similar populations,” said study author Michael Quinn, an MD/PhD student at Thomas Jefferson University.
“Therefore, infusing similar cells into humans could improve on immunotherapeutic methods for controlling CMV infection. This may be a valuable approach to keep the disease from emerging in people.”
Dr Snyder added, “Our data argue for developing new clinical trials focused specifically on using these T memory cells, in order to determine if it would indeed be better than current therapeutic options.”
CMV infection
Transplanting a small number of antiviral memory T cells along with donor hematopoietic stem cells can fight and may even prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in transplant recipients, according to preclinical research published in the Journal of Immunology.
To date, researchers have focused on developing anti-CMV immunotherapy with effector-phenotype CD8+ T cells (TEFF cells), which attack and kill virally infected host cells.
But Christopher Snyder, PhD, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his colleagues found that CMV-specific TEFF cells divide poorly in response to CMV infection or reactivation in mouse models.
So they wondered if CMV-specific memory-phenotype CD8+ T cells (TM cells)—which act more like stem cells—could help control the infection long-term.
The group showed that a small number of TM cells were enough to produce and repeatedly replenish all of the TEFF cells needed to fight CMV.
The infused TM cells became major contributors to the recipient antiviral immune response, persisting for at least 3 months’ time and producing TEFF cells at a steady stream.
To determine whether these cells have counterparts in humans, Dr Snyder and his colleagues compared the genomic fingerprints of mouse and human TM cells that were specific for CMV. Results showed the two had similar profiles.
“This suggested that human and mouse CMV-specific memory T cells are very similar populations,” said study author Michael Quinn, an MD/PhD student at Thomas Jefferson University.
“Therefore, infusing similar cells into humans could improve on immunotherapeutic methods for controlling CMV infection. This may be a valuable approach to keep the disease from emerging in people.”
Dr Snyder added, “Our data argue for developing new clinical trials focused specifically on using these T memory cells, in order to determine if it would indeed be better than current therapeutic options.”