Innovative Engineered Antibodies Enable T-Cells to Target and Destroy Cytomegalovirus-Infected Cells

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed a groundbreaking method to enhance the immune response against cytomegalovirus (CMV), a significant pathogen especially dangerous to immunocompromised individuals. CMV infection, which persists for life once acquired, can cause severe health complications such as organ rejection in transplant patients, AIDS progression, and congenital deafness when transmitted during pregnancy.

Traditional treatment involves antiviral drugs that, despite their effectiveness, often come with serious side effects including bone marrow suppression and kidney damage, and the virus can develop resistance over time. To address this challenge, UCLA scientists engineered specialized antibodies known as T-cell redirecting bispecific antibodies (TRBAs). These antibodies act as a molecular bridge, connecting CD3-epsilon on cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs) to viral proteins expressed on infected cells.

By linking these immune cells directly to infected cells, the TRBAs promote clustering and activation of CTLs at the site of infection, resulting in targeted killing of the virus-harboring cells. This novel approach could offer a faster, more effective treatment option compared to current therapies that rely on adoptive T-cell transfer or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, which are often time-consuming and complex to produce.

The research, led by Dr. Otto Yang, suggests that if developed commercially, these engineered antibodies could be tested in clinical trials to provide a new therapeutic avenue for preventing and treating CMV infections, particularly in vulnerable populations. The study has been published in the journal Science Advances.

This innovative strategy holds promise for expanding immune-based treatments that could circumvent the drawbacks of existing antiviral drugs, reducing side effects and defeating resistance, thereby significantly improving patient outcomes in CMV-related illnesses.

Source: [https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-antibodies-cells-cytomegalovirus-infected.html]