Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Despite the practice of antimicrobial prophylaxis, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in immunocompromised
patients causes potentially life-threatening disease, especially in recipients of bone marrow transplantation
(BMT). CMV-associated pneumonitis is frequently a fatal complication of human CMV (hCMV) disease in
BMT recipients. We will study an allogeneic murine BMT model in which BALB/c mice previously infected
with murine CMV (MCMV) receive bone marrow from BI 0.02 donors. Previous studies have demonstrated
hat animals previously infected with MCMV exhibit a more severe disease progression following
ransplantation. To test our hypothesis: The mechanism by which reactivation oflatent MCMV infection
exacerbates pneumonitis after minor antigen mismatched bone marrow transplantation is through
'augmentation of T cell infiltration and cytoldne production we have developed three specific aims.
IThe specific aims to be addressed are I) To determine the role of viral replication on the development of
IP after allo BMT, 2) To define the role of continued infiltration of T cells into the lungs of previously
infected mice in the absence of replicating virus and 3) To determine the role of adhesion molecules in the
development of viral interstitial pneumonitis following allo BMT. Using this model we will investigate the
lrole viral replication following reactivation on disease progression. We will examine the specificity of
lymphocytes in the lungs using MCMV specific MHC 11tetramers and Vj33. Also we will investigate the role
of viral or host up-regulation of adhesion molecules in recruiting lymphocytes to the lungs. These
experiments will provide insights into the interaction of host responses to CMV following BMT and may
serve as a basis for developing new strategies to protect and treat BMT patients susceptible to chronic CMV
infections. This research will also provide the opportunity for students to participate actively in the solution
to an important clinical problem.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 8/15/05 → 8/31/08 |
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