Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42879396›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

HLA-driven variability in human cytomegalovirus immune recognition: Epitope predictions from a kidney transplant Cohort.

Mirella Dara Moreno Rosado, Tatiana Chavez-Arias, Obert Marín-Sánchez, Ricardo J Juarez Zevallos, Alexis Germán Murillo Carrasco, César A Ortiz Rojas, Yuma Ita-Balta, Ruy Diego Chacón Villanueva

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Mirella Dara Moreno RosadoFacultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Carlos Germán Amezaga, Lima, Peru.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9599-6834
Tatiana Chavez-AriasFacultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Arequipa, Peru.
Obert Marín-SánchezFacultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2912-1191
Ricardo J Juarez ZevallosFacultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Arequipa, Peru.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1760-5888
Alexis Germán Murillo CarrascoPathogen Genetics Research Group (PATHO-GEN), Organization for Medical Innovation and Collaboration for Sciences (OMICS), Lima, Peru.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7372-2608
César A Ortiz RojasPathogen Genetics Research Group (PATHO-GEN), Organization for Medical Innovation and Collaboration for Sciences (OMICS), Lima, Peru.
Yuma Ita-BaltaEscuela de Postgrado, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Arequipa, Peru.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3795-898X
Ruy Diego Chacón VillanuevaPathogen Genetics Research Group (PATHO-GEN), Organization for Medical Innovation and Collaboration for Sciences (OMICS), Lima, Peru.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1044-7450

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection causes life-threatening complications in transplant recipients. Despite a seroprevalence exceeding 90% in Peru, the influence of HLA diversity on HCMV immune recognition remains unexplored in the South American region. We aimed to characterize the HLA allele distribution in a Peruvian cohort and evaluate its impact on the predicted HCMV antigen-presentation landscape.

methodsHLA genotyping (loci A, B, C, DRB1, DQA1, DQB1) was performed in 562 kidney transplant candidates and related donors. Common allele groups (AF5%) were assigned 4-digit resolution proxies based on local prevalence. Linear T-cell epitopes from the immunodominant antigens 65 kDa phosphoprotein (pp65), Immediate early protein 1 (IE1), and Envelope glycoprotein B (gB) were predicted using high-performance algorithms. Allelic capacity to strongly bind antigenic peptides was quantified using the Predicted Strong Binder Density (PSBD).

resultsWe identified 16 HLA-I and 10 HLA-II common allele groups; 92% of their 4-digit proxies are widely distributed in SAM, while C*15:12 emerged as a potentially endemic variant in Peru. Screening yielded 954 HLA-I candidate epitopes, including 169 that correspond to previously reported IEDB epitopes with potential for immunotherapy. PSBD analysis revealed distinct predicted antigen-presentation profiles across the common HLA variants identified.

conclusionOur findings provide updated Peruvian HLA data and define regional HCMV antigen-presentation profiles based on predicted MHC-peptide binding affinity (PSBD). Further experimental validation of these high-confidence candidate epitopes and HLA-HCMV association studies will be necessary to determine their immunogenicity and potential utility for immune monitoring and future immunotherapeutic applications across South American populations.

Indexed as

CytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus InfectionsEpitopesEpitopes, T-LymphocyteHLA AntigensKidney TransplantationAllelesCohort StudiesHumansPeruEpitopesEpitopes, T-LymphocyteHLA Antigens

Identifiers

PMID42879396
PMCPMC13671539

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.