0000000000142244
AUTHOR
Tamara Ruiz-merlo
T cell–mediated response to SARS‐CoV‐2 in liver transplant recipients with prior COVID‐19
Abstract Whether immunosuppression impairs severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2‐specific T‐cell‐mediated immunity (SARS‐CoV‐2‐CMI) after liver transplantation (LT) remains unknown. We included 31 LT recipients in whom SARS‐CoV‐2‐CMI was assessed by intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) and interferon (IFN)‐γ FluoroSpot assay after a median of 103 days from COVID‐19 diagnosis. Serum SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG antibodies were measured by ELISA. A control group of non‐transplant immunocompetent patients were matched (1:1 ratio) by age and time from diagnosis. Post‐transplant SARS‐CoV‐2‐CMI was detected by ICS in 90.3% (28/31) of recipients, with higher proportions for IFN‐γ‐producing CD4+ than …
SARS-CoV-2-specific Cell-mediated Immunity in Kidney Transplant Recipients Recovered From COVID-19.
BACKGROUND: The magnitude and kinetics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-specific cell-mediated immunity (SARS-CoV-2-CMI) in kidney transplant (KT) recipients remain largely unknown. METHODS: We enumerated SARS-CoV-2-specific interferon-I³-producing CD69+ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells at months 4 and 6 from the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 21 KT recipients by intracellular cytokine staining. Overlapping peptides encompassing the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein N-terminal 1- to 643-amino acid sequence and the membrane protein were used as stimulus. SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies targeting the S1 protein were assessed by ELISA at month 6. RESULTS: Detectable (≥0.1…
Monitoring of alphatorquevirus DNA levels for the prediction of immunosuppression-related complications after kidney transplantation
The replication kinetics of nonpathogenic anelloviruses belonging to the Alphatorquevirus genus (such as torque teno virus) might reflect the overall state of posttransplant immunosuppression. We analyzed 221 kidney transplant (KT) recipients in whom plasma alphatorquevirus DNA load was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction at baseline and regularly through the first 12 posttransplant months. Study outcomes included posttransplant infection and a composite of opportunistic infection and/or de novo malignancy (immunosuppression-related adverse event [iRAE]). Alphatorquevirus DNA loads at month 1 were higher among patients who subsequently developed posttransplant infection (P = …
A New Clinical and Immunovirological Score for Predicting the Risk of Late Severe Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: The CLIV Score
Abstract Background We aimed at constructing a composite score based on Epstein-Barr virus DNAemia (EBVd) and simple clinical and immunological parameters to predict late severe infection (LI) beyond month 6 in solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients. Methods Kidney and liver transplant recipients between May 2014 and August 2016 at 4 participating centers were included. Serum immunoglobulins and complement factors, peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations, and whole blood EBVd were determined at months 1, 3, and 6. Cox regression analyses were performed to generate a weighted score for the prediction of LI. Results Overall, 309 SOT recipients were followed-up for a median of 1000 da…
Regular monitoring of cytomegalovirus-specific cell-mediated immunity in intermediate-risk kidney transplant recipients: predictive value of the immediate post-transplant assessment
Abstract Objective Previous studies on monitoring of post-transplant cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) are limited by single-centre designs and disparate risk categories. We aimed to assess the clinical value of a regular monitoring strategy in a large multicentre cohort of intermediate-risk kidney transplant (KT) recipients. Methods We recruited 124 CMV-seropositive KT recipients with no T-cell-depleting induction pre-emptively managed at four Spanish institutions. CMV-specific interferon-γ-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were counted through the first post-transplant year by intracellular cytokine staining after stimulation with pp65 and immediate early-1 peptide…