Cytomegalovirus reactivation after allogeneic transplantation promotes a lasting increase in educated NKG2C+ natural killer cells with potent function

During mouse cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, a population of Ly49H(+) natural killer (NK) cells expands and is responsible for disease clearance through the induction of a "memory NK-cell response." Whether similar events occur in human CMV infection is unknown. In the present study, we characterized the kinetics of the NK-cell response to CMV reactivation in human recipients after hematopoietic cell transplantation. During acute infection, NKG2C(+) NK cells expanded and were potent producers of IFNγ. NKG2C(+) NK cells predominately expressed killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor, and self-killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors were required for robust IFNγ production. During the first year after…

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  National Cancer Institute