1
|
Townsend L, Dunne J, Sui J, Sanchez Perez C, McElheron M, Reid C, McCormack W, Bergin C, Fleming C, O'Farrelly C, Brady G, Conlon N. Immune response in vaccinated healthcare workers with frequent COVID-19 infections is characterised by blunted IFNγ and IL-2 responses to SARS-CoV-2 variants. Clin Immunol 2024:110371. [PMID: 39343286 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.110371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite widespread vaccination, some HCWs develop frequent symptomatic infection. We hypothesised that HCWs with frequent symptomatic COVID-19 have impaired T and B cell mediated immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Vaccinated HCWs with no prior COVID infection (n = 9), asymptomatic recent infection (n = 10), and frequent recent infection (n = 15) were recruited from a longitudinal HCW cohort study. Whole blood stimulation with SARS-CoV-2 variants (Wuhan, B.1.617, BA.2, BA.2.75, BA.4/5, XBB.1.5, BQ.1.1) was performed, with IFNγ and IL-2 responses, total IgG produced, and anti-Spike antibody neutralising capacity measured. Frequent infections had similar IFNγ and IL-2 responses to the never infected group, with significantly higher responses in the asymptomatic group. The frequent cohort had higher IgG responses to Delta and BA.4/5 and higher neutralising capacity against Omicron variants. An immune signature of blunted IL-2 and IFNγ in frequent infections may identify HCWs at increased risk of further infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liam Townsend
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Jean Dunne
- Department of Immunology, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jacklyn Sui
- Department of Immunology, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Carla Sanchez Perez
- Discipline of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Matt McElheron
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cian Reid
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - William McCormack
- Discipline of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Colm Bergin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Catherine Fleming
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Galway, Galway, Ireland; School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Cliona O'Farrelly
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gareth Brady
- Discipline of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Niall Conlon
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Granai M, Warm V, Vogelsberg A, Milla J, Greif K, Vogel U, Bakchoul T, Rosenberger P, Quintanilla-Martinez L, Schürch CM, Klingel K, Fend F, Bösmüller H. Impact of P-selectin-PSGL-1 Axis on Platelet-Endothelium-Leukocyte Interactions in Fatal COVID-19. J Transl Med 2023; 103:100179. [PMID: 37224922 PMCID: PMC10202465 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2023.100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In critically ill patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, early leukocyte recruitment to the respiratory system was found to be orchestrated by leukocyte trafficking molecules accompanied by massive secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and hypercoagulability. Our study aimed to explore the interplay between leukocyte activation and pulmonary endothelium in different disease stages of fatal COVID-19. Our study comprised 10 COVID-19 postmortem lung specimens and 20 control lung samples (5 acute respiratory distress syndrome, 2 viral pneumonia, 3 bacterial pneumonia, and 10 normal), which were stained for antigens representing the different steps of leukocyte migration: E-selectin, P-selectin, PSGL-1, ICAM1, VCAM1, and CD11b. Image analysis software QuPath was used for quantification of positive leukocytes (PSGL-1 and CD11b) and endothelium (E-selectin, P-selectin, ICAM1, VCAM1). Expression of IL-6 and IL-1β was quantified by RT-qPCR. Expression of P-selectin and PSGL-1 was strongly increased in the COVID-19 cohort compared with all control groups (COVID-19:Controls, 17:23, P < .0001; COVID-19:Controls, 2:75, P < .0001, respectively). Importantly, P-selectin was found in endothelial cells and associated with aggregates of activated platelets adherent to the endothelial surface in COVID-19 cases. In addition, PSGL-1 staining disclosed positive perivascular leukocyte cuffs, reflecting capillaritis. Moreover, CD11b showed a strongly increased positivity in COVID-19 compared with all controls (COVID-19:Controls, 2:89; P = .0002), indicating a proinflammatory immune microenvironment. Of note, CD11b exhibited distinct staining patterns at different stages of COVID-19 disease. Only in cases with very short disease course, high levels of IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA were observed in lung tissue. The striking upregulation of PSGL-1 and P-selectin reflects the activation of this receptor-ligand pair in COVID-19, increasing the efficiency of initial leukocyte recruitment, thus promoting tissue damage and immunothrombosis. Our results show that endothelial activation and unbalanced leukocyte migration play a central role in COVID-19 involving the P-selectin-PSGL-1 axis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Granai
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Verena Warm
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Antonio Vogelsberg
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jakob Milla
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Karen Greif
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Vogel
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tamam Bakchoul
- Transfusion Medicine, Medical Faculty of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Centre for Clinical Transfusion Medicine Tübingen ZKT gGmbH, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Rosenberger
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Christian M Schürch
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Karin Klingel
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Falko Fend
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Hans Bösmüller
- Institute for Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li K, Wang Z. Non-coding RNAs: Key players in T cell exhaustion. Front Immunol 2022; 13:959729. [PMID: 36268018 PMCID: PMC9577297 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.959729] [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: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell exhaustion caused by continuous antigen stimulation in chronic viral infections and the tumor microenvironment is a major barrier to successful elimination of viruses and tumor cells. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors should reverse T cell exhaustion, shortcomings, such as off-target effects and single targets, limit their application. Therefore, it is important to identify molecular targets in effector T cells that simultaneously regulate the expression of multiple immune checkpoints. Over the past few years, non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, have been shown to participate in the immune response against viral infections and tumors. In this review, we focus on the roles and underlying mechanisms of microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in the regulation of T cell exhaustion during chronic viral infections and tumorigenesis. We hope that this review will stimulate research to provide more precise and effective immunotherapies against viral infections and tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kun Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Ziqiang Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Ziqiang Wang,
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Young A. T cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. Ther Adv Vaccines Immunother 2022; 10:25151355221115011. [PMID: 36051003 PMCID: PMC9425900 DOI: 10.1177/25151355221115011] [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: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
While antibodies garner the lion’s share of attention in SARS-CoV-2 immunity, cellular immunity (T cells) may be equally, if not more important, in controlling infection. Both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells are elicited earlier and are associated with milder disease, than antibodies, and T-cell activation appears to be necessary for control of infection. Variants of concern (VOCs) such as Omicron have escaped the neutralizing antibody responses after two mRNA vaccine doses, but T-cell immunity is largely intact. The breadth and patient-specific nature of the latter offers a formidable line of defense that can limit the severity of illness, and are likely to be responsible for most of the protection from natural infection or vaccination against VOCs which have evaded the antibody response. Comprehensive searches for T-cell epitopes, T-cell activation from infection and vaccination of specific patient groups, and elicitation of cellular immunity by various alternative vaccine modalities are here reviewed. Development of vaccines that specifically target T cells is called for, to meet the needs of patient groups for whom cellular immunity is weaker, such as the elderly and the immunosuppressed. While VOCs have not yet fully escaped T-cell immunity elicited by natural infection and vaccines, some early reports of partial escape suggest that future VOCs may achieve the dreaded result, dislodging a substantial proportion of cellular immunity, enough to cause a grave public health burden. A proactive, rather than reactive, solution which identifies and targets immutable sequences in SARS-CoV-2, not just those which are conserved, may be the only recourse humankind has to disarm these future VOCs before they disarm us.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Young
- InvVax, 2265 E. Foohill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
The Effects of H2S and Recombinant Human Hsp70 on Inflammation Induced by SARS and Other Agents In Vitro and In Vivo. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092155. [PMID: 36140256 PMCID: PMC9496158 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing epidemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection led to the search for fundamentally new ways and means to combat inflammation and other pathologies caused by this virus. Using a cellular model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis (human promonocytes), we showed that both a hydrogen sulfide donor (sodium thiosulfate, STS) and a recombinant Heat shock protein 70 (rHsp70) effectively block all major inflammatory mediators when administrated before and after LPS challenge. The protective anti-inflammatory effect of rHsp70 and H2S was also confirmed in vivo using various animal models of pneumonia. Specifically, it was found that rHsp70 injections prevented the development of the acute respiratory distress syndrome in highly pathogenic pneumonia in mice, increased animal survival, and reduced the number of Programmed death-1 (PD-1)-positive T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Based on our model experiments we developed a combined two-phase therapeutic approach for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. This procedure includes the inhalation of hot helium–oxygen mixtures for induction of endogenous Hsp70 in the first phase and STS inhalation in the second phase. The use of this approach has yielded positive results in COVID-19 patients, reducing the area of lung lesions, restoring parameters of innate immunity and T-cell immune response against coronavirus infection, and preventing the development of pulmonary fibrosis and immune exhaustion syndrome.
Collapse
|
6
|
Immunity after COVID-19 Recovery and Vaccination: Similarities and Differences. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10071068. [PMID: 35891232 PMCID: PMC9322013 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10071068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is associated with a robust immune response. The development of systemic inflammation leads to a hyperinflammatory state due to cytokine release syndrome during severe COVID-19. The emergence of many new SARS-CoV-2 variants across the world deteriorates the protective antiviral immunity induced after infection or vaccination. The innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for determining the fate of COVID-19 symptomatology. T cell-mediated immunity is the main factor of the antiviral immune response; moreover, SARS-CoV-2 infection initiates a rapid B-cell response. In this paper, we present the current state of knowledge on immunity after COVID-19 infection and vaccination. We discuss the mechanisms of immune response to various types of vaccines (nucleoside-modified, adenovirus-vectored, inactivated virus vaccines and recombinant protein adjuvanted formulations). This includes specific aspects of vaccination in selected patient populations with altered immune activity (the elderly, children, pregnant women, solid organ transplant recipients, patients with systemic rheumatic diseases or malignancies). We also present diagnostic and research tools available to study the anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular and humoral immune responses.
Collapse
|