T cells engineered with a cytomegalovirus-specific chimeric immunoreceptor.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) is associated with morbidity and mortality. Adoptive T cell immunotherapy has been used to treat viral reactivation but is hardly feasible in high-risk constellations of CMV-positive HSCT patients and CMV-negative stem cell donors. We endowed human effector T cells with a chimeric immunoreceptor (cIR) directed against CMV glycoprotein B. These cIR-engineered primary T cells mediated antiviral effector functions such as cytokine production and cytolysis. This first description of cIR-redirected CMV-specific T cells opens up a new perspective for HLA-independent immunotherapy of CMV infection in high-risk patients.

German network for congenital uro-rectal malformations: first evaluation and interpretation of postoperative urological complications in anorectal malformations.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the German Network for Congenital Uro-REctal Malformations is to collect data of affected patients with anorectal malformation (ARM) or extrophy-epispadias complex, and to investigate molecular causes, clinical implications, and psychosocial outcome. The current issue was to assess the postoperative sequelae related to lower urinary tract dysfunction in patients with ARM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-seven patients with ARM (112 females, 155 males, median age 6 years, range 0-56 years) were investigated via standardized case report forms comprising interview, analysis of medical data, and personal questionnaires. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (12%, 23 males, 9 females) suffered from neurogenic bladder dysfunction, mainly associated with recto-urethral fistula (11 cases, 34%), and recto-vesical fistula (6 cases, 19%). Sixty-eight patients (26%, 35 males, 57 females) have experienced lifetime urinary tract infection, primarily associated with recto-urethral fistula (21 cases, 31%), and vestibular fistula (13 cases, 19%). According to type of operation, the highest number of postoperative urologic problems was reported after abdominosacroperineal pull-through. CONCLUSION: Besides reconstructing the ARM, another main goal is the preservation of lower urinary tract function. In our data, there seems to be a close correlation between operative strategies and postoperative complications.