Preliminary exploration of HLA-A*1101-restricted human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B-specific CD8+ T cells in allogeneic stem-cell transplant recipients

•The pentamer assay may be valuable in detecting HCMV gB-specific CD8+ T cells.•The gB332–340, ISWDIQDEK, may be a HLA-A*1101-restricted CD8+ T-cell epitope.•gB-specific CD8+ T cells are associated with the level of pp65 antigenemia and plasma HCMV IgM in HSCT recipients.

T-cell responses directed against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoprotein B (gB) contribute to protective immunity against HCMV infection in both animal models and humans. However, the gB-specific human CD8+ T cell responses remain poorly understood. gB antigen-specific CD8+ T cells were stained with seven major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-peptide pentamers in 16 human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*1101-positive, HCMV-seropositive patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Of these seven pentamers, the most frequent CD8+ T-cell responses were directed against the gB332–340 peptide. These gB332–340-specific CD8+ T cells were strongly associated with the presence of plasma HCMV immunoglobulin M in all HSCT recipients and exhibited a probable causal relationship with the level of pp65 antigenemia. Together, these data suggest a role for gB332–340-specific CD8+ T cells in HCMV reactivation after HSCT. Furthermore, the pentamer assay may be valuable in detecting antigen-specific CD8+ T cells.