CD8 T Cell-Based Immunotherapy of Cytomegalovirus Disease in the Mouse Model of the Immunocompromised Bone Marrow Transplantation Recipient
Rafaela Holtappels, Michael W. Munks, Jürgen Podlech, and Matthias J. Reddehase
from: Cytomegaloviruses: Molecular Biology and Immunology (Edited by: Matthias J. Reddehase). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2006)
Abstract
Cytomegaloviruses are kept well in check by the immune system, so that severe multiple-organ CMV disease develops only in the immunocompromised host. This medical background and daily clinical reality at bone marrow transplantation centers almost appears to be completely ignored in basic science research emphasizing mechanisms by which cytomegaloviruses subvert the innate and adaptive immune responses at virtually all levels from priming to antiviral effector phase. Thus "immune evasion" has become a hallmark of cytomegaloviruses, the "masters of deception", in the consciousness of many. Here we will review our findings in a murine model of CMV disease and virus control in a setting of bone marrow transplantation and experimental cytoimmunotherapy. The model parallels clinical experience and shows that protective immunity based on CD8 T cells is primed during hematopoietic reconstitution in the presence of acute infection and that viral epitope-specific CD8 T cells can limit infection and prevent disease in adoptive transfer recipients. In our opinion, research in this specific field has to change its focus and instead address the question of how the immune system prevails over all of the immunosubversive strategies of the virus read more ...
