Crosstalk of BAFF and TLRs after HCMV Infection in renal transplantation recipients (TRAN3P.878)

Abstract

Abstract To investigate the correlation of BAFF signal and TLRs activtion after HCMV infection in renal transplant (RTx) recipients. Peripheral blood and urine of RTx recipients (113 cases) were collected. Urine HCMV DNA was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR); Sera anti-pp65 IgG /IgM antibody were detected with the use of HCMV pp65 antigen slide by indirect immunofluorescence assay; Soluble BAFF (sBAFF) was tested by ELISA; Sera anti-HLA&MICA was determined by single-antigen flow bead assays (One Lambda) on a Luminex platform; The concerned genes selected by Gene Ontology (GO) function classification and KEGG Pathway analysis were tested by qPCR chip assay. In RTx recipients with high copy of urine HCMV DNA (>10,000 copy/ml, 12 cases, positive group), sBAFF, anti-pp65 antibody, and anti-HLA&MICA antibody also increased (P<0.05); The correlation analysis indicated that HCMV DNA level was positively related with sBAFF, anti-pp65 antibody, and anti-HLA&MICA antibody. And the qPCR chip assay results showed that 46 genes were differentially expressed (> 2 times) in all. In positive group BAFF-R and ICAM1 were upregulated, TLR9, NLRC5 and other 20 genes were downregulated, compared with negative group (with low copy of HCMV DNA); IFN-γ and ICAM1 were upregulated and 8 genes were downregulated in positive group, compared with healthy controls. So BAFF signal was enhanced after HCMV infection in RTx recipients, which involved in the decrease of renal allograft function.