The following is a summary of “Time-dependent variations in BK polyomavirus genome from kidney transplant recipients with persistent viremia’’ published in the August 2023 issue of Nephrology by Mineeva-Sangwo et al.
BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a virus that can reactivate kidney transplant patients and cause polyomavirus-associated nephropathy(PVAN). There is no specific antiviral treatment, so reducing immunosuppression is the main approach to treatment.
Researchers performed a retrospective study to investigate the occurrence of mutations in the BKPyV genome, including in the major capsid protein VP1. They were specifically interested in mutations that can lead to neutralization escape when the virus becomes resistant to the body’s immune defenses.
The study compared viral genomes from 32 kidney transplant recipients with persistent viremia at various time points and revealed amino acid variations in both early and later samples. Some changes were exclusive to later samples, primarily involving VP1 with introducing new amino acids, occasionally reverting to conservative ones.
The findings suggested this information should be incorporated into future strategies for treating BKPyV infection in kidney transplant recipients.
Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40714-4
