Use of Specific T Lymphocytes in Treating Cytomegalovirus Infection in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) poses a significant threat to post-hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Control strategies include letermovir prophylaxis or ganciclovir pre-emptive therapy (PET). Without prophylaxis, 65–90% of seropositive recipients develop a clinically significant CMV infection. Due to PET drawbacks, letermovir prophylaxis is preferable, as it reduces CMV-related events and improves overall survival. However, refractory or resistant CMV-CS remains a challenge, with maribavir showing limited efficacy. This systematic review followed the Cochrane Manual and PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. Out of 1895 identified records, 614 duplicates were removed, and subsequent screening excluded 1153 studies. Eleven included studies (2012–2024) involved 255 HCT recipients receiving adoptive immunotherapy (AI), primarily CMV-specific T-cell therapy. GvHD occurred in 1.82% of cases. Adverse events occurred in 4.4% of cases, while mild CRS was observed in 1.3% of patients. Efficacy, evaluated in 299 patients across eleven studies, showed an average response rate of 78.2%. CMV-CS recurrence was observed in 24.4% of 213 patients, and death due to CMV was reported in 9.7% of 307 patients across nine studies. Adoptive hCMV-specific T-cell immunotherapy appears to be a safe, effective alternative for refractory CMV-CS in HCT.