Abstract
AbstractPresence of the HLA-DR7 allele in patients who receive transplants has been proposed as a risk factor for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)–associated complications; however, the precise mechanism of this increased risk remains unresolved. Here we show that HLA-DR7–restricted HCMV-specific CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) can display an unusual dual specificity toward a glycoprotein-B (gB) epitope and the alloantigen HLA-DR4. However, no HLA-DR4–specific alloreactivity was observed when the gB-specific CTLs were generated from virus carriers expressing both HLA-DR7 and DR4 alleles. This most likely demonstrates the clonal inactivation of potentially self-reactive T cells in humans. Fine specificity analysis showed that gB-specific CTLs from HLA-DR7+/DR4- individuals displayed a distinct pattern of recognition when compared with CTLs from HLA-DR7+/DR4+ individuals, presumably evading an area of the epitope that mimics a structure presented on HLA-DR4. These data illustrate a possible mechanism for the clinical association between HCMV and graft-versus-host disease.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
