Immune responses to BK virus in kidney transplant patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cellular and humoral immune responses to BK virus in kidney transplant patients
IRAS ID
229214
Contact name
Stephen E Christmas
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
BK is a human virus that infects most people during childhood but is largely without symptoms. However, in kidney transplant patients given lifelong drugs to suppress rejection, it can be reactivated and lead to and loss of the kidney. The only treatment at present is reduction of the drugs the patient takes to suppress their rejection of the kidney transplant, which partly restores the immune response to BK but increases the risk of transplant rejection. In the absence of any specific treatment, a vaccine against the virus would be beneficial. There is some information on immune responses to BK virus and some viral antigens have recently been identified. \nThe aims of the project are:\n1) To measure the strength of immune responses to BK virus in transplant patients who have or have not had an episode of BK virus reactivation. This will be done using freshly isolated blood samples from transplant patients. \n2) To measure the antibody response against the virus in patients before and after episodes of BK virus reactivation and compare with those in patients without reactivation. This will be done using freshly isolated serum samples and also by studying frozen serum samples previously colllected and stored for clinical purposes. \n3) To examine the subtype of the virus involved in reactivations by DNA sequencing the virus from patient urine.\nTogether, this work will provide useful information on the type of immune responses important in protection against BK virus in kidney transplant patients.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SW/0220
Date of REC Opinion
12 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion