# Project 1: Systems Analyses of Heterologous Immunity During CMV Infection in Renal Transplantation

> **NIH NIH U19** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2021 · $438,366

## Abstract

PROJECT 1: Systems Analyses of Heterologous Immunity During CMV Infection in Renal Transplantation
SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The main complications of solid organ transplantations are rejection and opportunistic latent herpes virus
infections, the predominant player being cytomegalovirus (CMV). Primary infections, as well as latency, normally
occur asymptomatically in immunocompetent hosts. In immunocompromised patients, coexistence of CMV with
the host is a precarious balance that can result in viral reactivation, a phenomenon associated with high morbidity
and mortality. The overarching goal of the project is to define the effects of CMV infection on innate and adaptive
immune responses in transplant recipients and to disseminate our findings to the broader scientific community.
Our central hypothesis is that identifying the continuum of innate and adaptive immune phenotypes before, during
and after CMV infection will provide mechanistic insights into CMV pathogenesis and novel tools to select,
monitor and refine clinical practice, thereby improving patient outcomes. We also postulate that exposure to CMV
upon primary infection or reactivation in immunocompromised transplant recipients induces crossreactivity to
donor antigens, thus increasing the risk of allograft rejection. Improved understanding of the relationship between
CMV and alloimmunity will provide practical tools for clinical immune assessment and improved therapies. We
plan to reach these goals through the following Aims: Aim 1. Construct an in-depth longitudinal immune
profile of renal transplant recipients during CMV infection. We hypothesize that CMV infection/reactivation is
associated with a common immune profile providing a mechanistic framework to identify biomarkers for risk
assessment and guiding therapy. Aim 2. Define the role of CMV infection on the generation of heterologous
T cell alloimmunity. We hypothesize that TCR cross-reactivity of T cells specific for CMV and alloantigen will
promote heterologous immunity, leading to increased alloimmunity and potentiation of antiviral responses.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10225363
- **Project number:** 5U19AI128913-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** ELAINE F REED
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $438,366
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10225363

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10225363, Project 1: Systems Analyses of Heterologous Immunity During CMV Infection in Renal Transplantation (5U19AI128913-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10225363. Licensed CC0.

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