adenovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes

**Adenovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs)** are ex vivo-expanded donor-derived T cells engineered to target adenovirus antigens, primarily hexon and penton proteins, for adoptive immunotherapy in immunocompromised patients post-stem cell transplantation. These **cell therapy** products are generated by stimulating donor T cells with adenovirus-transduced antigen-presenting cells like monocytes or EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines, yielding a population dominated by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells capable of HLA-restricted cytotoxicity via perforin/granzyme pathways and IFN-γ production. Developed by institutions such as Baylor College of Medicine and tested in pediatric haploidentical or mismatched unrelated donor transplant recipients at high risk for adenoviral disease, they demonstrate safety without inducing graft-versus-host disease, in vivo persistence (up to 8+ weeks), antigen-driven expansion, and clinical efficacy in resolving infections like pneumonitis and enteritis where antivirals fail.[1][2][3]

Other names

Ad-specific CTLAdV-CTLADV-specific CTLsallogeneic most closely HLA-matched adenovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes