Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous pathogen infecting most humans. Like other herpes viruses, these infections are controlled but not completely eradicated. Dormant virus remaining in multiple tissues can reactivate during times of stress or immune compromise. We and numerous others have recognized that CMV reactivation occurs in lungs of ~33% of immune competent patients during critical illness. CMV is an accepted pathogen in immune suppressed patients that is increasingly being recognized as a potential pathogen in critically ill immune competent patients. Recent clinical data have associated CMV reactivation with worsened morbidity and mortality in these patients, prompting a prospective clinical trial with antiviral treatment (1U01HL102547). It is our overarching hypothesis that latent CMV infection and the immune responses to it have pathogenic potential for this patient population. Because of limitations in human studies, we have developed a murine model of CMV latency/reactivation. Using this model, we have confirmed that CMV reactivation triggered by sepsis can cause lung injury in immunocompetent hosts, a finding that supports available clinical data. Despite these significant advances, three major gaps remain in our understanding: 1) How does CMV predispose immune competent hosts to lung injury, 2) Can we identify those most at risk for CMV related injury, and 3) Can CMV-related risk be ameliorated in immune competent hosts? In this proposal we will address each of these specific questions using our animal model.
In Aim 1 we will study mechanisms of lung injury during CMV reactivation in immunocompetent hosts. We will test the hypothesis that CMV infection preconditions the host to develop an immunopathologic immune potential that is unleashed by bacterial sepsis.
In Aim 2 we will study a new application of available methods to determine risk for reactivation and poor outcome. We will test the novel hypothesis that CMV IgG titers will predict viral load and CMV-related risk.
In Aim 3 we will test two highly novel approaches to prevent CMV reactivation. We will test the hypothesis that CMV-related risk can be mitigated in previously infected hosts. These studies represent a direct continuation of our previous work, and we expect that knowledge gained from this proposal will continue to translate directly into diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that will improve care for critically ill patients.

Public Health Relevance

CMV infects ~50-60% of Americans by school age and up 80-90% by retirement. CMV is not cleared, but becomes dormant after primary infection, periodically reactivating during times of stress or immune compromise. CMV reactivation is a difficult complication in transplant patients that until recently has received little attention in immune competent patients. We (and others) have recently observed that many previously healthy patients with latent CMV experience unrecognized reactivation of this virus during critically illness or injury. This is associated with lung disease and prolonged ventilator durations. Previously healthy patients with CMV reactivation also have roughly double the risk of dying (55% versus 30%) in the hospital than patients without reactivation. Millions of patients are hospitalized each year in intensive care units throughout the country, and ~ 1 in 3 at risk will reactivate this virus during their illness.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM066115-10
Application #
8666552
Study Section
Surgery, Anesthesiology and Trauma Study Section (SAT)
Program Officer
Dunsmore, Sarah
Project Start
2014-04-02
Project End
2015-05-31
Budget Start
2014-06-01
Budget End
2015-05-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$331,670
Indirect Cost
$133,670
Name
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
071723621
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02215
Mansfield, Sara A; Cook, Charles H (2017) Antiviral prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus reactivation in immune competent patients-the jury remains out. J Thorac Dis 9:2221-2223
Griessl, Marion; Gutknecht, Michael; Cook, Charles H (2017) Determination of suitable reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of murine Cytomegalovirus in vivo and in vitro. J Virol Methods 248:100-106
Trgovcich, Joanne; Kincaid, Michelle; Thomas, Alicia et al. (2016) Cytomegalovirus Reinfections Stimulate CD8 T-Memory Inflation. PLoS One 11:e0167097
Mansfield, Sara; Dwivedi, Varun; Byrd, Sara et al. (2016) Broncholaveolar lavage to detect cytomegalovirus infection, latency, and reactivation in immune competent hosts. J Med Virol 88:1408-16
Mansfield, Sara; Grießl, Marion; Gutknecht, Michael et al. (2015) Sepsis and cytomegalovirus: foes or conspirators? Med Microbiol Immunol 204:431-7
Guidry, Christopher A; Mansfield, Sara A; Sawyer, Robert G et al. (2014) Resistant pathogens, fungi, and viruses. Surg Clin North Am 94:1195-218
Raghavan, Bindu; Cook, Charles H; Trgovcich, Joanne (2014) The carboxy terminal region of the human cytomegalovirus immediate early 1 (IE1) protein disrupts type II inteferon signaling. Viruses 6:1502-24
Juranic Lisnic, Vanda; Babic Cac, Marina; Lisnic, Berislav et al. (2013) Dual analysis of the murine cytomegalovirus and host cell transcriptomes reveal new aspects of the virus-host cell interface. PLoS Pathog 9:e1003611
Campbell, Jonathan; Trgovcich, Joanne; Kincaid, Michelle et al. (2012) Transient CD8-memory contraction: a potential contributor to latent cytomegalovirus reactivation. J Leukoc Biol 92:933-7
Cook, Charles H; Limaye, Ajit P (2012) Cytomegalovirus serostatus and outcome during critical illness. Crit Care Med 40:2740; author reply 2740-1

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