Blastogenic response of human lymphocytes to early antigen(s) of human cytomegalovirus.

The lymphocytes of asymptomatic, seropositive donors demonstrated blastogenic responses to early antigens of human cytomegalovirus whether or not antibodies to early antigens were detectable. The lymphocytes of six of nine patients with active cytomegalovirus infections gave stimulation indexes of greater than or equal to 2.00 with antigens of productively infected cells, whereas only two patients demonstrated comparable stimulation indexes with early antigens. Four patients with stimulation indexes of greater than or equal to 2.00 to productively infected antigens had stimulation indexes of less than or equal to 2.00 to early antigens. Viral polypeptides with molecular weights of 83,000, 72,000, 62,000, 56,000, and 40,000 were identified in early antigen preparations.