Valganciclovir prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus impairs lymphocyte proliferation and activation in renal transplant recipients
Abstract
Adult renal transplant recipients were assigned to 3-month prophylaxis with either valganciclovir (900mg q.d., n=19) or valacyclovir (2g q.i.d., n=17) as part of an ongoing randomized trial. Subsets of lymphocytes, lymphocyte proliferation and/or cytokine production after in vitro mitogen stimulation were evaluated at the end of prophylaxis and one month after withdrawal of antiviral drugs.
Lymphocyte proliferation was significantly decreased both after phytohemagglutinine (25+-15 vs. 32+-18%, P=0.025) and concanavalin A stimulation (17+-9 vs. 25+-16%, P=0.011) during valganciclovir, but not valacyclovir therapy. Moreover, a lower activated T cell count (CD3+HLA-DR+ cells) was noted in valganciclovir-treated patients (13+-10 vs. 17+-12% of total CD3+ T cells, P=0.005).
Conclusions: Valganciclovir suppresses lymphocyte proliferation and activation in patients after renal transplantation.