Allogeneic CD4 T Cells Sustain Effective BK Polyomavirus-Specific CD8 T Cell Response in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Introduction: BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) is a significant complication in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), associated with a higher level of plasmatic BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) replication and leading to poor graft survival. Methods: We prospectively followed-up with 100 KTRs...

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Main Authors: Manon Dekeyser, Marie-Ghislaine de Goër de Herve, Houria Hendel-Chavez, Romain Lhotte, Ivan Scriabine, Karen Bargiel, Emmanuelle Boutin, Florence Herr, Jean-Luc Taupin, Yassine Taoufik, Antoine Durrbach
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-08-01
Series:Kidney International Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S246802492401708X
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Summary:Introduction: BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) is a significant complication in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), associated with a higher level of plasmatic BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) replication and leading to poor graft survival. Methods: We prospectively followed-up with 100 KTRs with various degrees of BKPyV reactivation (no BKPyV reactivation, BKPyV-DNAuria, BKPyV-DNAemia, and biopsy-proven BKPyVAN [bp-BKPyVAN], 25 patients per group) and evaluated BKPyV-specific T cell functionality and phenotype. Results: We demonstrate that bp-BKPyVAN is associated with a loss of BKPyV-specific T cell proliferation, cytokine secretion, and cytotoxic capacities. This severe functional impairment is associated with an overexpression of lymphocyte inhibitory receptors (programmed cell death 1 [PD1], cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4, T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains, and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing-3), highlighting an exhausted-like phenotype of BKPyV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells in bp-BKPyVAN. This T cell dysfunction is associated with low class II donor-recipient human leukocyte antigen (HLA) divergence. In contrast, in the context of higher class II donor-recipient HLA (D/R-HLA) divergence, allogeneic CD4 T cells can provide help that sustains BKPyV-specific CD8 T cell responses. In vitro, allogeneic HLA-mismatched CD4 T cells rescue BKPyV-specific CD8 T cell responses. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that in KTRs, allogeneic CD4 T cells can help to maintain an effective BKPyV-specific CD8 T cell response that better controls BKPyV replication in the kidney allograft and may protect against BKPyVAN.
ISSN:2468-0249