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Frimpong A, Ofori MF, Degoot AM, Kusi KA, Gershom B, Quartey J, Kyei-Baafour E, Nguyen N, Ndifon W. Perturbations in the T cell receptor β repertoire during malaria infection in children: A preliminary study. Front Immunol 2022; 13:971392. [PMID: 36311775 PMCID: PMC9606469 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.971392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The changes occurring in the T cell repertoire during clinical malaria infection in children remain unknown. In this study, we undertook the first detailed comparative study of the T cell repertoire in African children with and without clinical malaria to test the hypothesis that clonotypic expansions that occur during P. falciparum infection will contribute to the generation of a T cell repertoire that is unique to each disease state. We profiled the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) of the TCRβ chain sequences from children with Plasmodium falciparum infections (asymptomatic, uncomplicated and severe malaria) and compared these with sequences from healthy children. Interestingly, we discovered that children with symptomatic malaria have a lower TCR diversity and frequency of shared (or “public”) TCR sequences compared to asymptomatic children. Also, TCR diversity was inversely associated with parasitemia. Furthermore, by clustering TCR sequences based on their predicted antigen specificities, we identified a specificity cluster, with a 4-mer amino acid motif, that is overrepresented in the asymptomatic group compared to the diseased groups. Further investigations into this finding may help in delineating important antigenic targets for vaccine and therapeutic development. The results show that the T cell repertoire in children is altered during malaria, suggesting that exposure to P. falciparum antigens disrupts the adaptive immune response, which is an underlying feature of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustina Frimpong
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Accra, Ghana
- *Correspondence: Wilfred Ndifon, ; Augustina Frimpong,
| | - Michael Fokuo Ofori
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Abdoelnaser M. Degoot
- Research Department, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Next Einstein Initiative, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Buri Gershom
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jacob Quartey
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Wilfred Ndifon
- Research Department, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Next Einstein Initiative, Kigali, Rwanda
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Wilfred Ndifon, ; Augustina Frimpong,
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2
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Review on the applications of atomic force microscopy imaging in proteins. Micron 2022; 159:103293. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2022.103293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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3
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Comparative analysis of the ex vivo IFN-gamma responses to CD8+ T cell epitopes within allelic forms of PfAMA1 in subjects with natural exposure to malaria. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257219. [PMID: 34506564 PMCID: PMC8432784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antigen polymorphisms in essential malarial antigens are a key challenge to the design and development of broadly effective malaria vaccines. The effect of polymorphisms on antibody responses is fairly well studied while much fewer studies have assessed this for T cell responses. This study investigated the effect of allelic polymorphisms in the malarial antigen apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) on ex vivo T cell-specific IFN-γ responses in subjects with lifelong exposure to malaria. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I-restricted peptides from the 3D7 clone AMA1 were bioinformatically predicted and those with variant amino acid positions used to select corresponding allelic sequences from the 7G8, FVO, FC27 and tm284 parasite strains. A total of 91 AMA1 9-10mer peptides from the five parasite strains were identified, synthesized, grouped into 42 allele sets and used to stimulate PBMCs from seven HLA class 1-typed subjects in IFN-γ ELISpot assays. PBMCs from four of the seven subjects (57%) made positive responses to 18 peptides within 12 allele sets. Fifty percent of the 18 positive peptides were from the 3D7 parasite variant. Amino acid substitutions that were associated with IFN-γ response abrogation were more frequently found at positions 1 and 6 of the tested peptides, but substitutions did not show a clear pattern of association with response abrogation. Thus, while we show some evidence of polymorphisms affecting T cell response induction, other factors including TCR recognition of HLA-peptide complexes may also be at play.
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4
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Ofori EA, Tetteh JKA, Frimpong A, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Peters B, Villasante E, Sedegah M, Ofori MF, Kusi KA. Comparison of the impact of allelic polymorphisms in PfAMA1 on the induction of T Cell responses in high and low malaria endemic communities in Ghana. Malar J 2021; 20:367. [PMID: 34507582 PMCID: PMC8431259 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03900-1] [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: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria eradication requires a combined effort involving all available control tools, and these efforts would be complemented by an effective vaccine. The antigen targets of immune responses may show polymorphisms that can undermine their recognition by immune effectors and hence render vaccines based on antigens from a single parasite variant ineffective against other variants. This study compared the influence of allelic polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1) peptide sequences from three strains of P. falciparum (3D7, 7G8 and FVO) on their function as immunodominant targets of T cell responses in high and low malaria transmission communities in Ghana. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 10 subjects from a high transmission area (Obom) and 10 subjects from a low transmission area (Legon) were tested against 15 predicted CD8 + T cell minimal epitopes within the PfAMA1 antigen of multiple parasite strains using IFN-γ ELISpot assay. The peptides were also tested in similar assays against CD8 + enriched PBMC fractions from the same subjects in an effort to characterize the responding T cell subsets. RESULTS In assays using unfractionated PBMCs, two subjects from the high transmission area, Obom, responded positively to four (26.7%) of the 15 tested peptides. None of the Legon subject PBMCs yielded positive peptide responses using unfractionated PBMCs. In assays with CD8 + enriched PBMCs, three subjects from Obom made positive recall responses to six (40%) of the 15 tested peptides, while only one subject from Legon made a positive recall response to a single peptide. Overall, 5 of the 20 study subjects who had positive peptide-specific IFN-γ recall responses were from the high transmission area, Obom. Furthermore, while subjects from Obom responded to peptides in PfAMA1 from multiple parasite strains, one subject from Legon responded to a peptide from 3D7 strain only. CONCLUSIONS The current data demonstrate the possibility of a real effect of PfAMA1 polymorphisms on the induction of T cell responses in malaria exposed subjects, and this effect may be more pronounced in communities with higher parasite exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebenezer A Ofori
- West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - John K A Tetteh
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Augustina Frimpong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bjoern Peters
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA
| | - Michael F Ofori
- West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo A Kusi
- West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana. .,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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5
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Arez F, Rodrigues AF, Brito C, Alves PM. Bioengineered Liver Cell Models of Hepatotropic Infections. Viruses 2021; 13:773. [PMID: 33925701 PMCID: PMC8146083 DOI: 10.3390/v13050773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis viruses and liver-stage malaria are within the liver infections causing higher morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The highly restricted tropism of the major human hepatotropic pathogens-namely, the human hepatitis B and C viruses and the Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax parasites-has hampered the development of disease models. These models are crucial for uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the biology of infection and governing host-pathogen interaction, as well as for fostering drug development. Bioengineered cell models better recapitulate the human liver microenvironment and extend hepatocyte viability and phenotype in vitro, when compared with conventional two-dimensional cell models. In this article, we review the bioengineering tools employed in the development of hepatic cell models for studying infection, with an emphasis on 3D cell culture strategies, and discuss how those tools contributed to the level of recapitulation attained in the different model layouts. Examples of host-pathogen interactions uncovered by engineered liver models and their usefulness in drug development are also presented. Finally, we address the current bottlenecks, trends, and prospect toward cell models' reliability, robustness, and reproducibility.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Bioengineering/methods
- Cell Culture Techniques
- Disease Models, Animal
- Disease Susceptibility
- Drug Discovery
- Hepatitis/drug therapy
- Hepatitis/etiology
- Hepatitis/metabolism
- Hepatitis/pathology
- Hepatitis, Viral, Human/etiology
- Hepatitis, Viral, Human/metabolism
- Hepatitis, Viral, Human/pathology
- Hepatocytes/metabolism
- Hepatocytes/parasitology
- Hepatocytes/virology
- Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Humans
- Liver/metabolism
- Liver/parasitology
- Liver/virology
- Liver Diseases, Parasitic/etiology
- Liver Diseases, Parasitic/metabolism
- Liver Diseases, Parasitic/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Arez
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana F. Rodrigues
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Catarina Brito
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Lisbon Campus, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Paula M. Alves
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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6
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Bamgbose T, Anvikar AR, Alberdi P, Abdullahi IO, Inabo HI, Bello M, Cabezas-Cruz A, de la Fuente J. Functional Food for the Stimulation of the Immune System Against Malaria. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2021; 13:1254-1266. [PMID: 33791994 PMCID: PMC8012070 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-021-09780-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Drug resistance has become a threat to global health, and new interventions are needed to control major infectious diseases. The composition of gut microbiota has been linked to human health and has been associated with severity of malaria. Fermented foods contribute to the community of healthy gut bacteria. Despite the studies connecting gut microbiota to the prevention of malaria transmission and severity, research on developing functional foods for the purpose of manipulating the gut microbiota for malaria control is limited. This review summarizes recent knowledge on the role of the gut microbiota in malaria prevention and treatment. This information should encourage the search for lactic acid bacteria expressing α-Gal and those that exhibit the desired immune stimulating properties for the development of functional food and probiotics for malaria control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Bamgbose
- ICMR, -National Institute of Malaria Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
- Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria
| | - Anupkumar R Anvikar
- ICMR, -National Institute of Malaria Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Isa O Abdullahi
- Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria
| | - Helen I Inabo
- Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria
| | - Mohammed Bello
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
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Harnessing Cellular Immunity for Vaccination against Respiratory Viruses. Vaccines (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040783
expr 839529059 + 832255227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe respiratory viral infections, such as influenza, metapneumovirus (HMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus (RV), and coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), cause significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. These viruses have been identified as important causative agents of acute respiratory disease in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Clinical signs of infection range from mild upper respiratory illness to more serious lower respiratory illness, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Additionally, these illnesses can have long-lasting impact on patient health well beyond resolution of the viral infection. Aside from influenza, there are currently no licensed vaccines against these viruses. However, several research groups have tested various vaccine candidates, including those that utilize attenuated virus, virus-like particles (VLPs), protein subunits, and nanoparticles, as well as recent RNA vaccines, with several of these approaches showing promise. Historically, vaccine candidates have advanced, dependent upon the ability to activate the humoral immune response, specifically leading to strong B cell responses and neutralizing antibody production. More recently, it has been recognized that the cellular immune response is also critical in proper resolution of viral infection and protection against detrimental immunopathology associated with severe disease and therefore, must also be considered when analyzing the efficacy and safety of vaccine candidates. These candidates would ideally result in robust CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses as well as high-affinity neutralizing antibody. This review will aim to summarize established and new approaches that are being examined to harness the cellular immune response during respiratory viral vaccination.
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Lukacs NW, Malinczak CA. Harnessing Cellular Immunity for Vaccination against Respiratory Viruses. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:783. [PMID: 33371275 PMCID: PMC7766447 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe respiratory viral infections, such as influenza, metapneumovirus (HMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus (RV), and coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), cause significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. These viruses have been identified as important causative agents of acute respiratory disease in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Clinical signs of infection range from mild upper respiratory illness to more serious lower respiratory illness, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Additionally, these illnesses can have long-lasting impact on patient health well beyond resolution of the viral infection. Aside from influenza, there are currently no licensed vaccines against these viruses. However, several research groups have tested various vaccine candidates, including those that utilize attenuated virus, virus-like particles (VLPs), protein subunits, and nanoparticles, as well as recent RNA vaccines, with several of these approaches showing promise. Historically, vaccine candidates have advanced, dependent upon the ability to activate the humoral immune response, specifically leading to strong B cell responses and neutralizing antibody production. More recently, it has been recognized that the cellular immune response is also critical in proper resolution of viral infection and protection against detrimental immunopathology associated with severe disease and therefore, must also be considered when analyzing the efficacy and safety of vaccine candidates. These candidates would ideally result in robust CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses as well as high-affinity neutralizing antibody. This review will aim to summarize established and new approaches that are being examined to harness the cellular immune response during respiratory viral vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W. Lukacs
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
- Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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9
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Smith NL, Nahrendorf W, Sutherland C, Mooney JP, Thompson J, Spence PJ, Cowan GJM. A Conserved TCRβ Signature Dominates a Highly Polyclonal T-Cell Expansion During the Acute Phase of a Murine Malaria Infection. Front Immunol 2020; 11:587756. [PMID: 33329568 PMCID: PMC7719809 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.587756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
CD4+ αβ T-cells are key mediators of the immune response to a first Plasmodium infection, undergoing extensive activation and splenic expansion during the acute phase of an infection. However, the clonality and clonal composition of this expansion has not previously been described. Using a comparative infection model, we sequenced the splenic CD4+ T-cell receptor repertoires generated over the time-course of a Plasmodium chabaudi infection. We show through repeat replicate experiments, single-cell RNA-seq, and analyses of independent RNA-seq data, that following a first infection - within a highly polyclonal expansion - T-effector repertoires are consistently dominated by TRBV3 gene usage. Clustering by sequence similarity, we find the same dominant clonal signature is expanded across replicates in the acute phase of an infection, revealing a conserved pathogen-specific T-cell response that is consistently a hallmark of a first infection, but not expanded upon re-challenge. Determining the host or parasite factors driving this conserved response may uncover novel immune targets for malaria therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha L. Smith
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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10
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Frimpong A, Amponsah J, Adjokatseh AS, Agyemang D, Bentum-Ennin L, Ofori EA, Kyei-Baafour E, Akyea-Mensah K, Adu B, Mensah GI, Amoah LE, Kusi KA. Asymptomatic Malaria Infection Is Maintained by a Balanced Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Response. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:559255. [PMID: 33281757 PMCID: PMC7705202 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.559255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are important mediators of immunity and are associated with malaria disease outcomes. However, their role in the establishment of asymptomatic infections, which may precede the development of clinical symptoms, is not as well-understood. Methods We determined the association of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines and other immune effector molecules with the development of asymptomatic malaria. We measured and compared the plasma levels of pro-inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12p70, IL-17A, and granzyme B, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 and the regulatory cytokine IL-10 from children with asymptomatic malaria infections (either microscopic or submicroscopic) and uninfected controls using Luminex. Results We show that individuals with microscopic asymptomatic malaria had significantly increased levels of TNF-α and IL-6 compared to uninfected controls. Children with either microscopic or submicroscopic asymptomatic malaria exhibited higher levels of IFN-γ, IL-17A, and IL-4 compared to uninfected controls. The levels of most of the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines were comparable between children with microscopic and submicroscopic infections. The ratio of IFN-γ/IL-10, TNF-α/IL-10, IL-6/IL-10 as well as IFN-γ/IL-4 and IL-6/IL-4 did not differ significantly between the groups. Additionally, using a principal component analysis, the cytokines measured could not distinguish amongst the three study populations. This may imply that neither microscopic nor submicroscopic asymptomatic infections were polarized toward a pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response. Conclusion The data show that asymptomatic malaria infections result in increased plasma levels of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines relative to uninfected persons. The balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are, however, largely maintained and this may in part, explain the lack of clinical symptoms. This is consistent with the generally accepted observation that clinical symptoms develop as a result of immunopathology involving dysregulation of inflammatory mediator balance in favor of pro-inflammatory mediators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustina Frimpong
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Accra, Ghana
| | - Jones Amponsah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Abigail Sena Adjokatseh
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Dorothy Agyemang
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Lutterodt Bentum-Ennin
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ebenezer Addo Ofori
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Akyea-Mensah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Bright Adu
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Gloria Ivy Mensah
- Department of Bacteriology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Linda Eva Amoah
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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11
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Kusi KA, Aggor FE, Amoah LE, Anum D, Nartey Y, Amoako-Sakyi D, Obiri-Yeboah D, Hollingdale M, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Peters B, Kim Y, Tetteh J, Kyei-Baafour E, Dodoo D, Villasante E, Sedegah M. Identification of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein-specific CD8+ T cell epitopes in a malaria exposed population. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228177. [PMID: 32040522 PMCID: PMC7010280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sterile protection against malaria, most likely mediated by parasite-specific CD8+ T cells, has been achieved by attenuated sporozoite vaccination of animals as well as malaria-naïve and malaria-exposed subjects. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based vaccine, RTS,S, shows low efficacy partly due to limited CD8+ T cell induction, and inclusion of such epitopes could improve RTS,S. This study assessed 8-10mer CSP peptide epitopes, present in predicted or previously positive P. falciparum 3D7 CSP 15mer overlapping peptide pools, for their ability to induce CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses in natural malaria-exposed subjects. METHODS Cryopreserved PBMCs from nine HLA-typed subjects were stimulated with 23 8-10mer CSP peptides from the 3D7 parasite in IFN-ɣ ELISpot assays. The CD8+ T cell specificity of IFN-γ responses was confirmed in ELISpot assays using CD8+ T cell-enriched PBMC fractions after CD4+ cell depletion. RESULTS Ten of 23 peptide epitopes elicited responses in whole PBMCs from five of the nine subjects. Four peptides tested positive in CD8+ T cell-enriched PBMCs from two previously positive responders and one new subject. All four immunodominant peptides are restricted by globally common HLA supertypes (A02, A03, B07) and mapped to regions of the CSP antigen with limited or no reported polymorphism. Association of these peptide-specific responses with anti-malarial protection remains to be confirmed. CONCLUSIONS The relatively conserved nature of the four identified epitopes and their binding to globally common HLA supertypes makes them good candidates for inclusion in potential multi-epitope malaria vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwadwo A. Kusi
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- * E-mail:
| | - Felix E. Aggor
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Linda E. Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Dorothy Anum
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yvonne Nartey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Daniel Amoako-Sakyi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Michael Hollingdale
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Bjoern Peters
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Yohan Kim
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - John Tetteh
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Daniel Dodoo
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
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12
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Frimpong A, Kusi KA, Adu-Gyasi D, Amponsah J, Ofori MF, Ndifon W. Phenotypic Evidence of T Cell Exhaustion and Senescence During Symptomatic Plasmodium falciparum Malaria. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1345. [PMID: 31316497 PMCID: PMC6611412 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells play significant roles during Plasmodium falciparum infections. Their regulation of the immune response in symptomatic children with malaria has been deemed necessary to prevent immune associated pathology. In this study, we phenotypically characterized the expression of T cell inhibitory(PD-1, CTLA-4) and senescent markers (CD28(-), CD57) from children with symptomatic malaria, asymptomatic malaria and healthy controls using flow cytometry. We observed increased expression of T cell exhaustion and senescence markers in the symptomatic children compared to the asymptomatic and healthy controls. T cell senescence markers were more highly expressed on CD8 T cells than on CD4 T cells. Asymptomatically infected children had comparable levels of these markers with healthy controls except for CD8+ PD-1+ T cells which were significantly elevated in the asymptomatic children. Also, using multivariate regression analysis, CTLA-4 was the only marker that could predict parasitaemia level. The results suggest that the upregulation of immune exhaustion and senescence markers during symptomatic malaria may affect the effector function of T cells leading to inefficient clearance of parasites, hence the inability to develop sterile immunity to malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustina Frimpong
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Jones Amponsah
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Michael Fokuo Ofori
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Wilfred Ndifon
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Coast, Ghana.,African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
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13
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Moormann AM, Nixon CE, Forconi CS. Immune effector mechanisms in malaria: An update focusing on human immunity. Parasite Immunol 2019; 41:e12628. [PMID: 30972776 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed dramatic decreases in malaria-associated mortality and morbidity around the world. This progress has largely been due to intensified malaria control measures, implementation of rapid diagnostics and establishing a network to anticipate and mitigate antimalarial drug resistance. However, the ultimate tool for malaria prevention is the development and implementation of an effective vaccine. To date, malaria vaccine efforts have focused on determining which of the thousands of antigens expressed by Plasmodium falciparum are instrumental targets of protective immunity. The antigenic variation and antigenic polymorphisms arising in parasite genes under immune selection present a daunting challenge for target antigen selection and prioritization, and is a given caveat when interpreting immune recall responses or results from monovalent vaccine trials. Other immune evasion strategies executed by the parasite highlight the myriad of ways in which it can become a recurrent infection. This review provides an update on immune effector mechanisms in malaria and focuses on our improved ability to interrogate the complexity of human immune system, accelerated by recent methodological advances. Appreciating how the human immune landscape influences the effectiveness and longevity of antimalarial immunity will help explain which conditions are necessary for immune effector mechanisms to prevail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Moormann
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Christina E Nixon
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Catherine S Forconi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
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