CD45RA expression on HCMV-specific effector memory CD8+ T cells is associated with the duration and intensity of HCMV replication after transplantation

In this cross-sectional study on 42 solid organ transplant recipients, the association of kinetics of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication and EMRA HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells was investigated. Correlation was observed between the duration of HCMV replication after transplantation and CD45RA+CD27− (r = 0.609; p = 0.004), CD45RA+ CD28− (r = 0.579; p = 0.008) or CD45RA+CCR7− (r = 0.488; p = 0.029) HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells percentages. In the multivariate regression analyses, CD45RA+CD27−, CD45RA+CD28− or CD45RA+CCR7− HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells percentages increased 5.58% (p = 0.001), 5.35% (p = 0.001) or 4.49% (p = 0.012), respectively, with every 10-day increase in the duration of HCMV replication. Moreover, CD45RA+CD27− or CD45RA+CD28− frequencies increased 4.16% (p = 0.024) or 3.58% (p = 0.049), respectively, with every unity increase in log10 genomes/mL. These observations support the major association between the frequency of EMRA HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells and the duration of post-transplant HCMV replication episodes in solid organ transplantation recipients.