Abstract
Objective: The flow cytometric assay was evaluated as a tool for real-time monitoring of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific cellular immunity in pregnant women. Methods: We screened for HCMV infection in pregnant women in Sapporo, Japan, during the year 2000, by serologic assays, virus isolation from urine, and PCR to detect DNA in cervical swabs. The frequencies of HCMV-specific CD4 + T cells in pregnant women with serum anti-HCMV IgG antibody were detected by intracellular cytokine (ICC), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) staining. Results: The levels of intracellular cytokines in pregnant women with serum anti-HCMV IgG antibody were significantly higher than those in women without anti-HCMV IgG antibody (P = 0.011 for IFN-γ and P = 0.023 for TNF-α) but lower than those in non-pregnant women with serum anti-HCMV IgG antibody. Frequencies of HCMV-specific CD4 + T cells were higher in infants with symptomatic congenital infection than in infants with asymptomatic perinatal infection. Conclusions: This ICC assay may reflect immunologic activity against HCMV infection in pregnant women with immunosuppressive conditions.
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