Significance Of Cytomegalovirus Infection Research Articles

Cytomegalovirus and Glioblastoma: A Review of the Biological Associations and Therapeutic Strategies

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive malignancy in the adult central nervous system. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and treatment of glioblastoma. We reviewed the epidemiology of CMV in gliomas, the mechanism of CMV-related carcinogenesis, and its therapeutic strategies, offering further clinical practice insights. To date, the CMV infection rate in glioblastoma is controversial, while mounting studies have suggested a high infection rate. The carcinogenesis mechanism of CMV has been investigated in relation to various aspects, including oncomodulation, oncogenic features, tumor microenvironment regulation, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and overall immune system regulation. In clinical practice, the incidence of CMV-associated encephalopathy is high, and CMV-targeting treatment bears both anti-CMV and anti-tumor effects. As the major anti-CMV treatment, valganciclovir has demonstrated a promising survival benefit in both newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma as an adjuvant therapy, regardless of surgery and the MGMT promoter methylation state. Immunotherapy, including DC vaccines and adoptive CMV-specific T cells, is also under investigation, and preliminary results have been promising. There are still questions regarding the significance of CMV infection and the carcinogenic mechanism of CMV. Meanwhile, studies have demonstrated the clinical benefits of anti-CMV therapy in glioblastoma. Therefore, anti-CMV therapies are worthy of further recognition and investigation.

Cytomegalovirus and glioblastoma: a review of evidence for their association and indications for testing and treatment.

Glioblastoma is the most common and most fatal primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Despite progress in characterizing the genetic and molecular mechanisms of glioblastomas, advances in treatment that translate into substantial improvement in prognosis have yet to be realized. A role for cytomegalovirus in glioblastoma pathogenesis was proposed more than a decade ago and has generated considerable debate as a possible therapeutic target. Independent groups have had variable success in detecting cytomegalovirus infection in tumor cells; the overall consensus is that very low levels of viral proteins and nucleic acids can be observed. Although cytomegalovirus has not been found to be oncogenic in this context, a possible oncomodulatory role has been suggested. A recent clinical trial evaluating valganciclovir as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of glioblastoma did not demonstrate a beneficial effect on tumor growth or overall survival, although retrospective analysis subsequently indicted a significant survival benefit. In light of the publicity of that report, patients and neuro-oncologists are requesting cytomegalovirus testing to justify antiviral treatment. Based on questions on the significance of cytomegalovirus infection in glioblastomas and the lack of a clear clinical benefit of valganciclovir, we reviewed this topic and conclude that, at this time, there is insufficient evidence to recommend routine testing and treatment.

Identification of human cytomegalovirus infection and its clinical significance in immunocompromised patients

The infection rate of human cytomegalovirus （CMV） in the general population in our country is very high. The latent virus often becomes activated when patients′ immune status turned to immunocompromised, which will cause serious clinical consequences. Because the manifestations of cytomegalovirus infection are nonspecific, the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection mainly depends on the laboratory tests. This article will review laboratory diagnostic methods and clinical significance of CMV infection in immunosuppression patients.（Chin J Lab Med,2014,37:155-158） Key words: Cytomegalovirus infections; Cytomegalovirus; Viremia

Significance of cytomegalovirus infection in the failure of native arteriovenous fistula

High cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG levels have been identified as a risk factor for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure. None of the 68 patents in our study were CMV IgM positive, although 96% were CMV IgG positive. CMV antigens were detected in the radial artery or cephalic vein of 46% of patients who received an AVF. The presence of CMV antigens or high serum CMV IgG levels had no prognostic value for AVF failure.

Significance of cytomegalovirus infection in renal transplantation

The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between vascular lesion chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) and the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in kidney transplanted patients. We studied 259 consecutive kidney transplant recipients with a minimum follow-up of 6 months; the induction immunosuppressive therapy included a calcineurin inhibitor, mycophenolate mofetil, steroids, and the use of an antilymphocyte serum if the patients developed delayed graft function. CMV early antigen detection (pp65) was performed on a weekly basis between days 30 and 90 post transplantation. Prophylactic treatment was administered in the donor +/recipient-risk group, and preemptive therapy delivered for positive antigenemia namely 3 days of intravenous [IV] gancyclovir [GCV] plus 11 days of oral therapy [in the case of infection], or 14 days of IV GCV [in the case of disease]). An acute kidney allograft rejection episode preceded CMV in 64.3% of the patients, and CMV preceded acute rejection in 35.7% of the cases. We conclude that CMV disease is an independent risk factor for CAN. CMV infection is probably associated with CAN, suggesting that the greater the viral load, the higher the risk of CAN. It may be advisable to perform universal prophylaxis to lower the viral load and CAN.

Cytomegalovirus infection in a patient with ulcerative colitis: Colonoscopic findings

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in humans does not usually cause symptoms.1 However, the infection becomes overt when patients are infected by human immunodeficiency virus or treated with immunosuppressive agents.1-3 An association between CMV and ulcerative colitis (UC) was initially reported 30 years ago.4 Since then, however, the significance of CMV infection in UC has not been elucidated precisely. There have been 2 contradictory reports of CMV infection in UC. In one the infection was an exacerbating factor5-8 and in the other it was an incidental finding.9-16 This is a report of a case of UC in which CMV infection was confirmed during corticosteroid therapy.

The significance of cytomegalovirus infection over the clinical course of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

The significance of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections developed over the clinical course of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) were evaluated in relation to the patient survival rate, ATL activity and immunocompetent cells. ATLL patients with CMV infections on admission exhibited a poor survival rate, while patients with CMV infections at any time after admission survived longer than those not infected with this virus. ATLL patients who exhibited a numbers of CMV infection on admission showed higher ATL activity and had lower numbers of CD8-positive and CD56-positive cells than those who developed CMV infections at any time after admission. Therefore, it appears likely that patients with CMV infections on admission were in an immunosuppressive state due to aggressive ATL activity.

Effect of immunoglobulin G therapy on serum antibody titers to cytomegalovirus in Burn patients

We attempted to determine the incidence and significance of cytomegalovirus infection and the effect of immunoglobulin G infusions on specific cytomegalovirus titers in burn patients. On admission, 48 percent of a group of 120 patients (mean burn size 28.5 percent of the total body surface area) were seronegative, including 95 percent of all patients under 20 years of age. Subsequently, 4 of a subgroup of 26 patients (15 percent) had development of a primary infection, and 1 of these patients died from overwhelming bacterial infection. Immunoglobulin G infusion used in the prophylaxis of the septic complications achieved high titers of cytomegalovirus-specific immunoglobulin G, as well as the subsets immunoglobulin G1 and immunoglobulin G3 which are also active against cytomegalovirus.

The clinical significance of cytomegalovirus infection in renal transplant recipients

Excerpt The high prevalence of cytomegalovirus infection after renal transplantation has been described in reports from the Harvard group (1, 2) and from this Center (3-9). In the present communica...