Urinary Cytokine Response In BK Virus Infection

Abstract

Objective: Human BK virus (BKV) is a member of the polyomavirus family. In renal transplant recipients, reactivation of BKV may cause the renal-allograft dysfunction. Primary BKV infection usually occurs asymptomatically during childhood. After primer infection, BKV persists latently especially in the urogenital system. Cellular immunity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of BKV infection. The aim of this study was to determine the urinary cytokine responses in patients with BKV infection and associated levels of urinary cytokines and BK viruria. Methods: Urine samples of 72 patients with BKV infection were included in this study. BKV DNAs were detected by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The levels of cytokines in urine samples were determined by ELISA. Results: The levels of urinary proinflammatory cytokines in BKV DNA positive patients were significantly higher than those of patients who were BKV DNA negative. In addition, urinary proinflammatory cytokines were also higher in BKV DNA positive patients with high viral load than in patients with low viral load. Conclusion: According to our results, it is suggested that proinflammatory cytokines may play an important role in the pathogenesis of BKV infections. A better understanding of cytokine responses in BKV infections may help to provide new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of BKV infection especially in transplantation patients.