A novel pattern of pp65-positive cytomegalic endothelial cells circulating in peripheral blood from a renal transplant recipient

• The present study reports a novel pattern of cytomegalic endothelial cells (CEC) in peripheral blood from a female renal transplant recipient infected with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), which has not been reported previously. Localization of specific early antigen of HCMV, pp65 antigen, was examined by immunohistochemistry. Staining of an endothelial cell marker (CD34) was used to characterize endothelial cells. It is demonstrated that many leukocytes surrounded and adhered to a protein-like material, in which pp65-positive CEC were detected. The composition and function of this protein-like material are yet unknown. The patient tacked clinical symptoms of HCMV disease. Furthermore, similar localization patterns were found in other renal. transplant recipients suffering from HCMV infections as determined by real-time PCR to detect HCMV DNA in blood. These patients showed no or only minor clinical symptoms of HCMV infection. It is suggested that these novel Localization patterns of CEC may play a role in the host defense in patients infected with HCMV, but the exact relation between HCMV infection and CEC formation needs further investigation. (C) 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

immunohistochemistry

human cytomegato-virus

cytomegatic endothelial cells

kidney transplantation

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)