Korean J Intern Med.  2021 Jan;36(1):164-174. 10.3904/kjim.2019.339.

Usefulness of BK virus-specific interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunospot assay for predicting the outcome of BK virus infection in kidney transplant recipients

Affiliations
  • 1Graduate School, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
  • 2Transplant Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
  • 3Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
  • 4Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Bucheon St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea
  • 5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
  • 6Department of Laboratory Medicine, International St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea

Abstract

Background/Aims
To investigate if BK virus (BKV)-specific T cell immunity measured by an interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay can predict the outcome of BK virus infection in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).
Methods
We included 68 KTRs with different viremia status (no viremia [n = 17], BK viremia [n = 27], and cleared viremia [n = 24]) and 44 healthy controls (HCs). The BK viremia group was divided into controller (< 3 months) and noncontroller (> 3 months) according to sustained duration of BKV infection. We compared BKV-ELISPOT results against five BKV peptides (large tumor antigen [LT], St, VP1-3).
Results
BKV-ELISPOT results were higher in three KTRs groups with different BKV infection status than the HCs group (p < 0.05). In KTR groups, they were higher in cleared viremia group than no viremia or BK viremia group. Within the BK viremia group, controller group had higher LT-ELISPOT results compared to noncontroller group (p = 0.032). Also, KTRs without BK virus-associated nephropathy (BKVN) had higher LT, St, VP1, and VP2-ELISPOT results than those with BKVN (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
BKV-ELISPOT assay may be effective in predicting clinical outcomes of BKV infection in terms of clearance of BK virus and development of BKVN.

Keyword

BK virus; Kidney transplantation; Viremia; BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy; Enzyme-linked immunospot assay
Full Text Links
  • KJIM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr