A Simplified CMV-specific T Cell Transfer Targeting Drug-resistant CMV Retinitis

ABSTRACT

Background

Among severely immunosuppressed patients resistant or refractory cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is not uncommon, and is potentially blinding in the affected eye. Immunotherapy using CMV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is an emerging and promising alternative for the control of resistant or refractory CMV retinitis. However, highly purified CMV-CTLs are still not available in the majority of medical institutions in China because the generation of CMV-CTLs is labor intensive, time-consuming and expensive.

Purpose

This letter describes the clinical responses to a simplified CMV-CTL immunotherapy aimed at controlling drug-resistant CMV retinitis in two immunodeficient patients.

Conclusions

Our cases suggest that the simplified CMV-CTL immunotherapy offers a highly efficient and low-cost solution to drug-resistant CMV retinitis. This immunotherapy strategy targeting drug-resistant CMV retinitis is likely to be cost-effective in the context of a specific patient population.

KEYWORDS:

• CMV
• retinitis
• drug resistant
• immunotherapy
• severe aplastic anemia

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.