Anticorpi non-organo-specifici e infezione da BKV in una popolazione di trapiantati renali

Following primary infection, the polyomavirus BK remains latent in the urinary tract e peripheral blood cells. Reactivation may occur spontaneously in healthy subjects and in immunocompromised conditions. BKV reactivation may determine urinary shedding of infected urothelial cells, hemorrhagic cystitis (particularly in bone marrow transplant recipients), and nephropathy in kidney graft recipients. Moreover, a possible role for BKV in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been hypothesised. SLE is characterised by production of autoantibodies, in particular anti-double stranded (ds)-DNA antibodies. The induction of anti-dsDNA antibodies by BKV has been described in experimental animals and during naturally acquired infection in man. Therefore, it has been proposed that the BKV large T-antigen-chromatin complex may function as a hapten-carrier model with subsequent production of anti-dsDNA antibodies.Aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between BKV and autoimmunity in renal transplant recipients by determining the prevalence of non-organ-specific antibodies (NOSA) by indirect immunofluorescence on serum samples obtained from 95 renal transplant recipients during post-transplantation follow-up. BKV infection was evaluated by competitive-quantitative PCR. NOSA were present in 25/95 patients: 18 ANA and 6 SMA, one patient both ANA and SMA. BKV-DNA was positive in 16/95 patients: 3 NOSA-positive and 13 negative. BKV-DNA was negative in 79/95 patients: 22 NOSApositive and 57 negative. The prevalence of NOSA did not differ between BKV-DNA positive and negative patients. It does not seem to exist a relation between BKV and NOSA in renal transplant recipients.