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Caraballo Cortés K, Osuch S, Perlejewski K, Radkowski M, Janiak M, Berak H, Rauch A, Fehr JS, Hoffmann M, Günthard HF, Metzner KJ. T-Cell Exhaustion in HIV-1/Hepatitis C Virus Coinfection Is Reduced After Successful Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C. Open Forum Infect Dis 2023; 10:ofad514. [PMID: 37953817 PMCID: PMC10633785 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background T-cell responses during chronic viral infections become exhausted, which is reflected by upregulation of inhibitory receptors (iRs) and increased interleukin 10 (IL-10). We assessed 2 iRs-PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) and Tim-3 (T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3)-and IL-10 mRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their soluble analogs (sPD-1, sTim-3, and IL-10) in plasma in chronic HIV-1/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection and explored the effect of HCV treatment on these markers. We also aimed to establish whether iR expression may be determined by the HCV CD8+ T-cell immunodominant epitope sequence. Methods Plasma and PBMCs from 31 persons with chronic HIV-1/HCV coinfection from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study were collected before and after HCV treatment. As controls, 45 persons who were HIV-1 negative with chronic HCV infection were recruited. Exhaustion markers were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in plasma and by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in PBMCs. Analysis of an HCV epitope sequence was conducted by next-generation sequencing: HLA-A*02-restricted NS31073-1081 and NS31406-1415 and HLA-A*01-restricted NS31436-1444. Results The study revealed higher plasma sPD-1 (P = .0235) and IL-10 (P = .002) levels and higher IL-10 mRNA in PBMCs (P = .0149) in HIV-1/HCV coinfection. A decrease in plasma sPD-1 (P = .0006), sTim-3 (P = .0136), and IL-10 (P = .0003) and Tim-3 mRNA in PBMCs (P = .0210) was observed following successful HCV treatment. Infection with the HLA-A*01-restricted NS31436-1444 ATDALMTGY prototype variant was related to higher sTim-3 levels than infection with the ATDALMTGF escape variant (P = .0326). Conclusions The results underscore the synergistic effect of coinfection on expression of exhaustion markers, their reduction following successful HCV treatment and imply that iR levels may operate on an epitope-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Caraballo Cortés
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sylwia Osuch
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karol Perlejewski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marek Radkowski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Janiak
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hanna Berak
- Outpatient Clinic, Warsaw Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andri Rauch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jan S Fehr
- Department of Public and Global Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Hoffmann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital Olten, Olten, Switzerland
| | - Huldrych F Günthard
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karin J Metzner
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Osuch S, Laskus T, Perlejewski K, Berak H, Bukowska-Ośko I, Pollak A, Zielenkiewicz M, Radkowski M, Caraballo Cortés K. CD8 + T-Cell Exhaustion Phenotype in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection Is Associated With Epitope Sequence Variation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:832206. [PMID: 35386708 PMCID: PMC8977521 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.832206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims During chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, CD8+ T-cells become functionally exhausted, undergoing progressive phenotypic changes, i.e., overexpression of “inhibitory” molecules such as PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) and/or Tim-3 (T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing molecule-3). The extreme intrahost genetic diversity of HCV is a major mechanism of immune system evasion, facilitating epitope escape. The aim of the present study was to determine whether T-cell exhaustion phenotype in chronic HCV infection is related to the sequence repertoire of NS3 viral immunodominant epitopes. Methods The study population was ninety prospective patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection. Populations of peripheral blood CD8+ T-cells expressing PD-1/Tim-3 were assessed by multiparametric flow cytometry, including HCV-specific T-cells after magnetic-based enrichment using MHC-pentamer. Autologous epitope sequences were inferred from next-generation sequencing. The correction of sequencing errors and genetic variants reconstruction was performed using Quasirecomb. Results There was an interplay between the analyzed epitopes sequences and exhaustion phenotype of CD8+ T-cells. A predominance of NS31406 epitope sequence, representing neither prototype KLSGLGLNAV nor cross-reactive variants (KLSSLGLNAV, KLSGLGINAV or KLSALGLNAV), was associated with higher percentage of HCV-specific CD8+PD-1+Tim-3+ T-cells, P=0.0102. Variability (at least two variants) of NS31406 epitope sequence was associated with increased frequencies of global CD8+PD-1+Tim-3+ T-cells (P=0.0197) and lower frequencies of CD8+PD-1−Tim-3− T-cells (P=0.0079). In contrast, infection with NS31073 dominant variant epitope (other than prototype CVNGVCWTV) was associated with lower frequency of global CD8+PD-1+Tim-3+ T-cells (P=0.0054). Conclusions Our results indicate that PD-1/Tim-3 receptor expression is largely determined by viral epitope sequence and is evident for both HCV-specific and global CD8+ T-cells, pointing to the importance of evaluating autologous viral epitope sequences in the investigation of CD8+ T-cell exhaustion in HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Osuch
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Laskus
- Department of Adult Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karol Perlejewski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hanna Berak
- Outpatient Clinic, Warsaw Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Iwona Bukowska-Ośko
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Pollak
- Department of Human Genetics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Marek Radkowski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kamila Caraballo Cortés
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Osuch S, Laskus T, Berak H, Perlejewski K, Metzner KJ, Paciorek M, Radkowski M, Caraballo Cortés K. Decrease of T-cells exhaustion markers programmed cell death-1 and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 and plasma IL-10 levels after successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16060. [PMID: 32994477 PMCID: PMC7524731 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73137-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells become functionally exhausted, which is reflected by increased expression of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3), and elevated anti-inflammatory interleukin 10 (IL-10) plasma levels. We studied 76 DAA-treated HCV-positive patients and 18 non-infected controls. Flow cytometry measured pretreatment frequencies of CD4+PD-1+, CD4+PD-1+Tim-3+ and CD8+PD-1+Tim-3+ T-cells and IL-10 levels measured by ELISA were significantly higher and CD4+PD-1-Tim-3- and CD8+PD-1-Tim-3- T-cells were significantly lower in patients than in controls. Treatment resulted in significant decrease of CD4+Tim-3+, CD8+Tim-3+, CD4+PD-1+Tim-3+ and CD8+PD-1+Tim-3+ T-cell frequencies as well as IL-10 levels and increase in CD4+PD-1-Tim-3- and CD8+PD-1-Tim-3- T-cells. There were no significant changes in the frequencies of CD4+PD-1+ T-cells, while CD8+PD-1+ T-cells increased. Patients with advanced liver fibrosis had higher PD-1 and lower Tim-3 expression on CD4+T-cells and treatment had little or no effect on the exhaustion markers. HCV-specific CD8+T-cells frequency has declined significantly after treatment, but their PD-1 and Tim-3 expression did not change. Successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C with DAA is associated with reversal of immune exhaustion phenotype, but this effect is absent in patients with advanced liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Osuch
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 3c Pawińskiego Street, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Laskus
- Department of Adult Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hanna Berak
- Outpatient Clinic, Warsaw Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karol Perlejewski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 3c Pawińskiego Street, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karin J Metzner
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marcin Paciorek
- Department of Adult Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marek Radkowski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 3c Pawińskiego Street, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kamila Caraballo Cortés
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 3c Pawińskiego Street, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
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Caraballo Cortés K, Osuch S, Perlejewski K, Pawełczyk A, Kaźmierczak J, Janiak M, Jabłońska J, Nazzal K, Stelmaszczyk‐Emmel A, Berak H, Bukowska‐Ośko I, Paciorek M, Laskus T, Radkowski M. Expression of programmed cell death protein 1 and T-cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule-3 on peripheral blood CD4+CD8+ double positive T cells in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and in subjects who spontaneously cleared the virus. J Viral Hepat 2019; 26:942-950. [PMID: 30972915 PMCID: PMC6850126 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is characterized by increased proportion of CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) T cells, but their role in this infection is unclear. In chronic hepatitis C, immune responses to HCV become functionally exhausted, which manifests itself by increased expression of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule-3 (Tim-3) on T cells. The aim of our study was to determine PD-1 and Tim-3 phenotype of DP T cells in subjects with naturally resolved and chronic HCV infection. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 16 patients with chronic infection and 14 subjects who cleared HCV in the past were stained with anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8, anti-PD-1 and anti-Tim-3 antibodies and, in 12 HLA-A*02-positive subjects, MHC class I pentamer with HCV NS31406 epitope. In chronic and past HCV infection, proportions of total DP T cells and PD-1+ DP T cells were similar but significantly higher than in healthy controls. DP T cells were more likely to be PD-1+ than either CD4+ or CD8+ single positive (SP) T cells. HCV-specific cells were present in higher proportions among DP T cells than among CD8+ SP T cells in both patient groups. Furthermore, while the majority of HCV-specific DP T cells were PD-1+, the proportion of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells which were PD-1+ was 4.9 and 1.9 times lower (chronic and past infection, respectively). PD-1 and Tim-3 were predominantly expressed on CD4high CD8low and CD4low CD8high cells, respectively, and co-expression of both markers was uncommon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Caraballo Cortés
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Sylwia Osuch
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Karol Perlejewski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Agnieszka Pawełczyk
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Justyna Kaźmierczak
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Maciej Janiak
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Joanna Jabłońska
- Clinic for Infectious, Tropical Diseases and HepatologyMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Khalil Nazzal
- Clinic for Infectious, Tropical Diseases and HepatologyMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Anna Stelmaszczyk‐Emmel
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics and Clinical Immunology of Developmental AgeMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Hanna Berak
- Outpatient ClinicWarsaw Hospital for Infectious DiseasesWarsawPoland
| | - Iwona Bukowska‐Ośko
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Marcin Paciorek
- Department of Infectious DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Tomasz Laskus
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Marek Radkowski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesMedical University of WarsawWarsawPoland
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