Adoptive transfer of pp65-specific T cells for the treatment of chemorefractory cytomegalovirus disease or reactivation after haploidentical and matched unrelated stem cell transplantation.

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease and infection refractory to antiviral treatment after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is associated with a high mortality. Adoptive transfer of CMV-specific T cells could reconstitute viral immunity after SCT and could protect from CMV-related complications. However, logistics of producing virus-specific T-cell grafts limited the clinical application. We treated 18 patients after allo-SCT from human leukocyte antigen-mismatched/haploidentical or human leukocyte antigen-matched unrelated donors with polyclonal CMV-specific T cells generated by ex vivo stimulation with pp65, followed by isolation of interferon-γ-producing cells. Patients with CMV disease or viremia refractory to antiviral chemotherapy or both were eligible for adoptive T-cell transfer and received a mean of 21 × 10³/kg pp65-specific T cells. In 83% of cases CMV infection was cleared or viral burden was significantly reduced, even in cases of CMV encephalitis (n = 2). Viral control was associated with in vivo expansion of CMV-specific T lymphocytes in 12 of 16 evaluable cases, resulting in reconstitution of antiviral T-cell responses, without graft-versus-host disease induction or acute side effects. Our findings indicate that the infusion of low numbers of CMV-specific T cells is safe, feasible, and effective as a treatment on demand for refractory CMV infection and CMV disease after allo-SCT.

• Authors: Tobias Feuchtinger, Kathrin Opherk, Wolfgang A Bethge, Max S Topp, Friedhelm R Schuster, Eva M Weissinger, Mohamad Mohty, Reuven Or, Michael Maschan, Michael Schumm, Klaus Hamprecht, Rupert Handgretinger, Peter Lang, Hermann Einsele
• Journal: Blood (Blood) Vol. 116 Issue 20 Pg. 4360-7 (Nov 18 2010) ISSN: 1528-0020 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20625005 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Phosphoproteins
• Viral Matrix Proteins
• cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adoptive Transfer (methods)
• Adult
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Cytomegalovirus Infections (immunology, therapy, virology)
• Feasibility Studies
• Follow-Up Studies
• Haploidy
• Histocompatibility Testing
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Phosphoproteins (immunology)
• Recurrence
• Stem Cell Transplantation
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology, transplantation)
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Viral Matrix Proteins (immunology)