Adoptive transfer of Ag-specific T cells to prevent CMV disease after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus is a major cause of infectious morbidity and mortality after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT). Farmacotherapy to prevent or treat CMV reaction and infection is only partially effective, and has considerable toxicity. Adoptive transfer of ex vivo generated CMV specific T cells is a new approach to the management of CMV post-allo-SCT.
METHODS: A comprehensive review of the published literature describing 1) the recovery of CMV immunity post-allo-SCT and 2) new strategies for the production of CMV specific T cells for adoptive immunotherapy.
RESULTS: CMV specific T cells can be generated using a variety of systems comprising different antigen presenting cells and antigens. DISCUSSION: The ability to raise CMV specific T cells on a clinical scale will have a major impact on the management of CMV post-allo-SCT, but will have to be compared to current pharmacological approaches. Further, the raising of CMV specific T cells may serve as a model, to generate other antigen specific T cells including other anti-viral and anti-tumor T cells.