BK Virus Load Associated with Serum Levels of sCD30 in Renal Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Background. Rejection is the main drawback facing the renal transplant operations. Complicated and overlapping factors, mainly related to the immune system, are responsible for this rejection. Elevated serum levels of sCD30 were frequently recorded as an indicator for renal allograft rejection, while BV virus is considered as one of the most serious consequences for immunosuppressive treatment of renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Aims. This study aimed to determine the association of BK virus load with serum levels of sCD30 in RTRs suffering from nephropathy. Patients and Methods. A total of 50 RTRs with nephropathy and 30 age-matched apparently healthy individuals were recruited for this study. Serum samples were obtained from each participant. Real-time PCR was used to quantify BK virus load in RTRs serum, while ELISA technique was employed to estimate serum levels of sCD30. Results. Twenty-two percent of RTRs had detectable BKV with mean viral load of 1.094E + 06 ± 2.291E + 06. RTRs showed higher mean serum level of sCD30 (20.669 ± 18.713 U/mL) than that of controls (5.517 ± 5.304 U/mL) with significant difference. BK virus load had significant positive correlation with the serum levels of sCD30 in RTRs group. Conclusion. These results suggest that serum levels of sCD30 could be used as an indicator of BK viremia, and accordingly the immunosuppressive regime should be adjusted.

Seroprevalence and newly isolated strains of LT-Ag gene (MMGHA2 and MM GHA5) of BK Polyomavirus in A Sample of Iraqi renal transplant recipients

“…PCR was used only in a very small number of studies to investigate the identification of viral infections or reactivations in Iraqi kidney transplant recipients. (10) The detection of BKV in the blood, which can be quantified by measuring the threshold cycle (Ct), is a valuable tool not only for BKV nephropathy diagnosis but also for monitoring the patient's response to treatment. However, regardless of the amount of virus present, real-time PCR is a very sensitive and specific approach for identifying BKV in blood components (plasma or serum).…”

“…a positive result of RT-PCR for BKV-DNA in the control group (8.0%), several local researchers reported no detection of BKV_DNA in their control group such as (Al-Obaidi et al,.2015)and(Shamran et al,.2016). The analytical sensitivity of the kit utilised for the viral DNA quantification will be responsible for this variation.…”

“…The outcome can also be influenced by the target gene. However,Shamran et al (2016) utilised a kit that targets small T-antigen, whereas the kit we and Al-Obaidi et al employed…”

BK nephropathy in the native kidneys of patients with organ transplants: Clinical spectrum of BK infection

“…Activated CD4 T cells upregulate CD30, another cell marker of B and T cells, causing an increase in serum soluble CD30 (sCD30), which plays a role in the pathogenesis of rejection[ 366 ]. Levels of sCD30 are associated with BK viremia and may be of use in the management of the immunosuppressive regimen for renal transplant patients as well as a prognostic factor for graft rejection[ 436 ].…”