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Awad G, Roch T, Stervbo U, Kaliszczyk S, Stittrich A, Hörstrup J, Cinkilic O, Appel H, Natrus L, Gayova L, Seibert F, Bauer F, Westhoff T, Nienen M, Babel N. Robust hepatitis B vaccine-reactive T cell responses in failed humoral immunity. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 21:288-298. [PMID: 33898628 PMCID: PMC8050104 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
While virus-specific antibodies are broadly recognized as correlates of protection, virus-specific T cells are important for direct clearance of infected cells. Failure to generate hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific antibodies is well-known in patients with end-stage renal disease. However, whether and to what extent HBV-specific cellular immunity is altered in this population and how it influences humoral immunity is not clear. To address it, we analyzed HBV-reactive T cells and antibodies in hemodialysis patients post vaccination. 29 hemodialysis patients and 10 healthy controls were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Using multiparameter flow cytometry, HBV-reactive T cells were analyzed and functionally dissected based on granzyme B, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and IL-4 expression. Importantly, HBV-reactive CD4+ T cells were detected not only in all patients with sufficient titers but also in 70% of non-responders. Furthermore, a correlation between the magnitude of HBV-reactive CD4+ T cells and post-vaccination titers was observed. In summary, our data showed that HBV-reactive polyfunctional T cells were present in the majority of hemodialysis patients even if humoral immunity failed. Further studies are required to confirm their in vivo antiviral capacity. The ability to induce vaccine-reactive T cells paves new ways for improved vaccination and therapy protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gounwa Awad
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Toralf Roch
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, corporate member of Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrik Stervbo
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sviatlana Kaliszczyk
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, corporate member of Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna Stittrich
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, corporate member of Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Labor Berlin - Charité Vivantes GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Hörstrup
- KfH Kuratorium für Dialyse und Nierentransplantation e.V., Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Larysa Natrus
- Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Felix Seibert
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Frederic Bauer
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Timm Westhoff
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mikalai Nienen
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, corporate member of Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Labor Berlin - Charité Vivantes GmbH, Berlin, Germany.,Institute for Medical Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, corporate member of Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, corporate member of Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Zheng J, Ou Z, Xu Y, Xia Z, Lin X, Jin S, Liu Y, Wu J. Hepatitis B virus-specific effector CD8 + T cells are an important determinant of disease prognosis: A meta-analysis. Vaccine 2019; 37:2439-2446. [PMID: 30935741 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific effector CD8+ T cells are critical for viral clearance. To determine the effects of HBV-specific effector CD8+ T cells on HBV infection, we performed a meta-analysis of the available literature. METHODS Electronic database searches identified appropriately designed studies that detected specific CD8+ T cells in HBV-infected patients. Our main endpoints were the course of infection, seroconversion of HBV "e" antigen (HBeAg), the level of HBVDNA, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity. We used a fixed/random model for analysis, according to the results of a heterogeneity test (P value of Q-squared, I2). RESULTS Our searches found five eligible articles. Pooled estimation of the reported results showed that levels of specific CD8+ T cells were significantly higher in patients with acute hepatitis B than in patients with chronic hepatitis B (odds ratio [OR] = 76.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.37-378.70). With respect to chronic hepatitis B, patients with <107 copies/ml HBVDNA had higher levels of specific CD8+ T cells relative to patients with >107 copies/ml HBVDNA, but the difference had no statistics significance (OR: 3.89, 95% CI: 0.71-21.33). Patients with negative HBeAg or positive anti-HBeAg antibody (anti-HBe) results had significantly higher levels of specific CD8+ T cells versus patients with positive HBeAg results (OR: 5.82, 95% CI: 1.41-24.13). There were no significant associations between the levels of specific CD8+ T cells and serum ALT activity (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.01-74.15). CONCLUSION HBV-specific effector CD8+ T cells influence the disease activity in HBV-infected patients in various ways and determine prognosis by eliminating the virus. Therefore, efforts of studying HBV-specific effector CD8+ T cells focused vaccine are potentially needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juzeng Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhanfan Ou
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yilun Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ziqiang Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xianfan Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Sisi Jin
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jinming Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China.
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Lindemann M, Zaslavskaya M, Fiedler M, Wilde B, Heinemann FM, Heinold A, Horn PA, Witzke O. Humoral and Cellular Responses to a Single Dose of Fendrix in Renal Transplant Recipients with Non-response to Previous Hepatitis B Vaccination. Scand J Immunol 2017; 85:51-57. [DOI: 10.1111/sji.12497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Lindemann
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
| | - M. Zaslavskaya
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
- Department of Nephrology; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
- Department of Infectious Disease; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
| | - M. Fiedler
- Institute of Virology; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
| | - B. Wilde
- Department of Nephrology; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
| | - F. M. Heinemann
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
| | - A. Heinold
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
| | - P. A. Horn
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
| | - O. Witzke
- Department of Nephrology; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
- Department of Infectious Disease; University Hospital Essen; Essen Germany
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Yan Q, Liu Q, Li MM, Li FH, Zhu B, Wang JZ, Lu YP, Liu J, Wu J, Zheng X, Lu MJ, Wang BJ, Yang DL. Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of woodchuck retinoic acid-inducible gene I. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 36:335-343. [PMID: 27376800 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-016-1588-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cytosolic retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is an important innate immune RNA sensor and can induce antiviral cytokines, e.g., interferon-β (IFN-β). Innate immune response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays a pivotal role in viral clearance and persistence. However, knowledge of the role that RIG-I plays in HBV infection is limited. The woodchuck is a valuable model for studying HBV infection. To characterize the molecular basis of woodchuck RIG-I (wRIG-I), we analyzed the complete coding sequences (CDSs) of wRIG-I, containing 2778 base pairs that encode 925 amino acids. The deduced wRIG-I protein was 106.847 kD with a theoretical isoelectric point (pI) of 6.07, and contained three important functional structures [caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARDs), DExD/H-box helicases, and a repressor domain (RD)]. In woodchuck fibroblastoma cell line (WH12/6), wRIG-I-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) down-regulated RIG-I and its downstrean effector-IFN-β transcripts under RIG-I' ligand, 5'-ppp double stranded RNA (dsRNA) stimulation. We also measured mRNA levels of wRIG-I in different tissues from healthy woodchucks and in the livers from woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV)-infected woodchucks. The basal expression levels of wRIG-I were abundant in the kidney and liver. Importantly, wRIG-I was significantly up-regulated in acutely infected woodchuck livers, suggesting that RIG-I might be involved in WHV infection. These results may characterize RIG-I in the woodchuck model, providing a strong basis for further study on RIG-I-mediated innate immunity in HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Yan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Qin Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Meng-Meng Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Fang-Hui Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Jun-Zhong Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yin-Ping Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Xin Zheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Meng-Ji Lu
- Institute of Virology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45149, Germany
| | - Bao-Ju Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Dong-Liang Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Friedrich P, Sattler A, Müller K, Nienen M, Reinke P, Babel N. Comparing Humoral and Cellular Immune Response Against HBV Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Patients. Am J Transplant 2015; 15:3157-65. [PMID: 26137874 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.13380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Host protection upon vaccination usually results from the complex interplay of humoral and cellular components of the immune system. Exploring hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-specific T cell responses and their correlation with humoral responses under immunosuppression, we analyzed 51 renal transplant recipients, differing in HBV vaccine-specific antibody titers (non [NRs]-, low [LRs]-, and high responders [HRs]) and in 22 healthy controls (HCs) in a cross-sectional study. HBsAg-specific T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry according to expression of activation markers CD40L and/or CD69, and the cytokines IFNγ, IL-2, TNFα, and IL-17. No significant differences in responder rate and magnitude of HBsAg-specific T cell responses were found between HCs and HRs. Interestingly, HBsAg-specific Th-cells were also observed in 50% of humoral NRs. Frequencies of HBsAg-specific CD40L+ Th-cells were significantly higher in HRs compared to LRs (p = 0.009) and in LRs in comparison to NRs (p = 0.043). All but NRs showed a predominance of multi-potent HBsAg-specific TNFα+IL-2+ Th-cells. As expected, HBsAg-specific CD8(+) T cells were rarely found. In conclusion, mounting of hepatitis B vaccine-specific T cell responses is possible in kidney transplant recipients despite immunosuppression. Detection of HBV-specific Th-cells in a significant proportion of humoral NRs contributes to the current discussion on conferring immune protection by cellular memory in such patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Friedrich
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Sattler
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - K Müller
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Nienen
- Medical Clinic I, Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - P Reinke
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Nephrology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Virchow Clinic, Berlin, Germany
| | - N Babel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Medical Clinic I, Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Brinck-Jensen NS, Vorup-Jensen T, Leutscher PDC, Erikstrup C, Petersen E. Immunogenicity of twenty peptides representing epitopes of the hepatitis B core and surface antigens by IFN-γ response in chronic and resolved HBV. BMC Immunol 2015; 16:65. [PMID: 26526193 PMCID: PMC4630833 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-015-0127-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) usually mount a modest T cell response against HBV epitopes. In order to determine immunogenic epitopes of HBV recognized by HBV-specific T cells, previous studies focused on previously confirmed HBV epitopes and assessed the T cell response by the number of HBV-specific T cells by IFN-γ ELISPOT. Methods We studied T cell functionality by combined in silico methods predicting HBV-specific epitopes and experimental investigations on the recognition of these epitopes. 30 chronic CHB patients and 10 patients with resolved HBV (RHB) were included in the study. We identified epitopes from the literature and by in silico analysis. These were evaluated for immunogenicity by use of synthetic peptides representing the epitopes through exposure to PBMCs from patients with CHB or RHB by IFN-γ ELISPOT. The number of IFN-γ producing cells (SFC), mean spot size (MSS) and stimulation index (SI) were recorded. Results The frequency of HBV-specific T cells producing IFN-γ after stimulation with HBV epitopes was similar in CHB and RHB patients. CHB patients had a higher MSS SI than RHB patients. Patients not carrying the HLA-A2 genotype had higher SFC SI and MSS SI. Patients with HLA-A11 had higher MSS SI compared to non- HLA-A11 allele patients. HBeAg-positive patients had a lower MSS SI, and none of the HBeAg positive patients had the HLA-A11 genotype. We found 3 immunogenic epitopes not described previously. Conclusion IFN-γ ELISPOT-determined MSS is an efficient marker for T cell recognition of epitopes. This experimental measure showed the in silico analysis for epitope prediction to be a valuable tool in future studies on HLA genotypes and HBV epitopes. This way our study now points to previously unappreciated consequences of carrying the HLA-A11 allele in terms of stronger immunity to HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanna-Sophie Brinck-Jensen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Skejby, Denmark.
| | - Thomas Vorup-Jensen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Peter Derek Christian Leutscher
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Skejby, Denmark.
| | - Christian Erikstrup
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Skejby, Denmark.
| | - Eskild Petersen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Skejby, Denmark.
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