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Gatti A, Zizzo G, De Paschale M, Tamburello A, Castelnovo L, Faggioli PM, Clerici P, Brando B, Mazzone A. Assessing SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell reactivity in late convalescents and vaccinees: Comparison and combination of QuantiFERON and activation-induced marker assays, and relation with antibody status. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285728. [PMID: 37220145 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 spread and vaccination strategies have relied on antibody (Ab) status as a correlate of protection. We used QuantiFERON™ (QFN) and Activation-Induced Marker (AIM) assays to measure memory T-cell reactivity in unvaccinated individuals with prior documented symptomatic infection (late convalescents) and fully vaccinated asymptomatic donors (vaccinees). METHODS Twenty-two convalescents and 13 vaccinees were enrolled. Serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 and N Abs were measured using chemiluminescent immunoassays. QFN was performed following instructions and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) measured by ELISA. AIM was performed on aliquots of antigen-stimulated samples from QFN tubes. SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD4+CD25+CD134+, CD4+CD69+CD137+ and CD8+CD69+CD137+ T-cell frequencies were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS In convalescents, substantial agreement was observed between QFN and AIM assays. IFN-γ concentrations and AIM+ (CD69+CD137+) CD4+ T-cell frequencies correlated with each other, with Ab levels and AIM+ CD8+ T-cell frequencies, whereas AIM+ (CD25+CD134+) CD4+ T-cell frequencies correlated with age. AIM+ CD4+ T-cell frequencies increased with time since infection, whereas AIM+ CD8+ T-cell expansion was greater after recent reinfection. QFN-reactivity and anti-S1 titers were lower, whereas anti-N titers were higher, and no statistical difference in AIM-reactivity and Ab positivity emerged compared to vaccinees. CONCLUSIONS Albeit on a limited sample size, we confirm that coordinated, cellular and humoral responses are detectable in convalescents up to 2 years after prior infection. Combining QFN with AIM may enhance detection of naturally acquired memory responses and help stratify virus-exposed individuals in T helper 1-type (TH1)-reactive (QFNpos AIMpos Abshigh), non-TH1-reactive (QFNneg AIMpos Abshigh/low), and pauci-reactive (QFNneg AIMneg Abslow).
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Gatti
- Laboratory of Haematology, Transfusion Center, Legnano Hospital, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gaetano Zizzo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Legnano and Cuggiono Hospitals, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo De Paschale
- Unit of Microbiology, Legnano Hospital, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Tamburello
- Department of Internal Medicine, Legnano and Cuggiono Hospitals, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Castelnovo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Legnano and Cuggiono Hospitals, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Maria Faggioli
- Department of Internal Medicine, Legnano and Cuggiono Hospitals, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Clerici
- Unit of Microbiology, Legnano Hospital, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Bruno Brando
- Laboratory of Haematology, Transfusion Center, Legnano Hospital, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonino Mazzone
- Department of Internal Medicine, Legnano and Cuggiono Hospitals, ASST Ovest Milanese, via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Legnano, Milan, Italy
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Nunes-Cabaço H, Ramalho-dos-Santos A, Pires AR, Martins LR, Barata JT, Sousa AE. Human CD4 T Cells From Thymus and Cord Blood Are Convertible Into CD8 T Cells by IL-4. Front Immunol 2022; 13:834033. [PMID: 35222424 PMCID: PMC8880616 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.834033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Commitment to the CD4+ or CD8+ T cell lineages is linked to the acquisition of a functional program broadly defined by helper and cytotoxic properties, respectively. The mechanisms underlying these processes in the human thymus remain largely unclear. Moreover, recent thymic emigrants are thought to have some degree of plasticity, which may be important for the shaping of the immune system and adjustment to specific peripheral needs. We show here that IL-4 induces proliferation-independent de novo synthesis of CD8αβ in human CD4 single-positive (SP) thymocytes, generating a stable CD8SP population that features a diverse TCRαβ repertoire, CD4 expression shut-down and ThPOK downregulation. IL-4 also promotes an innate-like program in both CD4SP and CD8SP thymocytes, characterized by Eomes upregulation in the absence of T-bet, in line with its recognized role in the generation of thymic innate-like CD8+ T cells. The clinical relevance of these findings is further supported by the profile of IL-4 production and IL-4 receptor expression that we identified in the human thymus. Importantly, human cord blood CD4+ T cells preserve the ability to generate Eomes+ CD8+ T cells in the presence of IL-4, with implications in neonatal immunity. Our results support a role for IL-4 in the dynamic regulation of human thymocyte plasticity and identify novel strategies to modulate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ana E. Sousa
- *Correspondence: Helena Nunes-Cabaço, ; Ana E. Sousa,
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Seay HR, Yusko E, Rothweiler SJ, Zhang L, Posgai AL, Campbell-Thompson M, Vignali M, Emerson RO, Kaddis JS, Ko D, Nakayama M, Smith MJ, Cambier JC, Pugliese A, Atkinson MA, Robins HS, Brusko TM. Tissue distribution and clonal diversity of the T and B cell repertoire in type 1 diabetes. JCI Insight 2016; 1:e88242. [PMID: 27942583 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.88242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The adaptive immune repertoire plays a critical role in type 1 diabetes (T1D) pathogenesis. However, efforts to characterize B cell and T cell receptor (TCR) profiles in T1D subjects have been largely limited to peripheral blood sampling and restricted to known antigens. To address this, we collected pancreatic draining lymph nodes (pLN), "irrelevant" nonpancreatic draining lymph nodes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and splenocytes from T1D subjects (n = 18) and control donors (n = 9) as well as pancreatic islets from 1 T1D patient; from these tissues, we collected purified CD4+ conventional T cells (Tconv), CD4+ Treg, CD8+ T cells, and B cells. By conducting high-throughput immunosequencing of the TCR β chain (TRB) and B cell receptor (BCR) immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) on these samples, we sought to analyze the molecular signature of the lymphocyte populations within these tissues and of T1D. Ultimately, we observed a highly tissue-restricted CD4+ repertoire, while up to 24% of CD8+ clones were shared among tissues. We surveyed our data set for previously described proinsulin- and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-reactive (GAD65-reactive) receptors, and interestingly, we observed a TRB with homology to a known GAD65-reactive TCR (clone GAD4.13) present in 7 T1D donors (38.9%), representing >25% of all productive TRB within Tconv isolated from the pLN of 1 T1D subject. These data demonstrate diverse receptor signatures at the nucleotide level and enriched autoreactive clones at the amino acid level, supporting the utility of coupling immunosequencing data with knowledge of characterized autoreactive receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard R Seay
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Erik Yusko
- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stephanie J Rothweiler
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Amanda L Posgai
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Martha Campbell-Thompson
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Marissa Vignali
- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ryan O Emerson
- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - John S Kaddis
- Department of Information Sciences, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Dave Ko
- Department of Information Sciences, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | | | - Mia J Smith
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - John C Cambier
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Alberto Pugliese
- Diabetes Research Institute and Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Mark A Atkinson
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Harlan S Robins
- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Todd M Brusko
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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