Cytomegalovirus pp65-specific T cell (CMV-CTL)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pp65-specific T cells are a specialized population of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that recognize the pp65 (UL83) phosphoprotein, the immunodominant antigen of CMV (PubMed: 15620463). These cells are a cornerstone of the adaptive immune response against CMV, identifying and lysing infected cells that present pp65 peptides on their surface via Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I molecules (PubMed: 23407338). In clinical practice, these T cells are developed as an adoptive cell therapy to treat or prevent CMV disease in high-risk patients, such as those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or solid organ transplantation (SOT) (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04354311). The therapy involves the infusion of either donor-derived or "off-the-shelf" allogeneic T cells that have been expanded and sensitized to the pp65 antigen. Once infused, these cells proliferate and provide immediate antiviral activity, bridging the gap until the patient's own immune system recovers. Monitoring efficacy typically involves measuring the reduction in CMV viral load (DNAemia) and the persistence of the transferred T cells using HLA-tetramer staining or ELISPOT assays. While generally safer than systemic antivirals, potential risks include graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS).

Other names

CMV-specific T lymphocytepp65-CTLCMV-VSTCytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T cell

Adoptive transfer of T cells that recognize and eliminate cells expressing the CMV pp65 protein through MHC-restricted cytotoxicity.