Cytomegalovirus antigen-expressing cells (CMV-Ag+ cells)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigen-expressing cells are host cells infected with Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) that display viral proteins, such as pp65 (UL83) and Immediate-Early 1 (IE1), on their surface via the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) (Arvin et al., 2007). These cells are the primary targets for the host's CMV-specific immune pathway, which involves the activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes to control viral replication and maintain latency (NIH, 2023). In immunocompromised individuals, such as hematopoietic stem cell or solid organ transplant recipients, the failure of this immune pathway leads to viral reactivation and severe systemic disease (StatPearls, 2023). Therapeutic strategies targeting these cells include adoptive T-cell therapies, such as posoleucel, which provide exogenous CMV-specific T-cells to recognize and eliminate infected cells (Allovir, 2024), as well as traditional antiviral drugs like letermovir that inhibit viral replication machinery within these cells (FDA, 2017). Understanding the interaction between viral antigens and the immune system is crucial for developing vaccines and immunotherapies aimed at preventing CMV-related morbidity (PubMed, 2022).

Other names

Human cytomegalovirus-infected cellsHCMV-infected cellsCMV-specific T-cell targetsCMV-pp65 expressing cellsCMV-IE1 expressing cells

Adoptive T-cell transfer, Viral DNA polymerase inhibition, Viral terminase complex inhibition, Passive immunization