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Ferreté-Bonastre AG, Martínez-Gallo M, Morante-Palacios O, Calvillo CL, Calafell-Segura J, Rodríguez-Ubreva J, Esteller M, Cortés-Hernández J, Ballestar E. Disease activity drives divergent epigenetic and transcriptomic reprogramming of monocyte subpopulations in systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis 2024; 83:865-878. [PMID: 38413168 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-225433] [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: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterised by systemic inflammation involving various immune cell types. Monocytes, pivotal in promoting and regulating inflammation in SLE, differentiate from classic monocytes into intermediate and non-classic monocytes, assuming diverse roles and changing their proportions in inflammation. In this study, we investigated the epigenetic and transcriptomic profiles of these and novel monocyte subsets in SLE in relation to activity and progression. METHODS We obtained the DNA methylomes and transcriptomes of classic, intermediate, non-classic monocytes in patients with SLE (at first and follow-up visits) and healthy donors. We integrated these data with single-cell transcriptomics of SLE and healthy donors and interrogated their relationships with activity and progression. RESULTS In addition to shared DNA methylation and transcriptomic alterations associated with a strong interferon signature, we identified monocyte subset-specific alterations, especially in DNA methylation, which reflect an impact of SLE on monocyte differentiation. SLE classic monocytes exhibited a proinflammatory profile and were primed for macrophage differentiation. SLE non-classic monocytes displayed a T cell differentiation-related phenotype, with Th17-regulating features. Changes in monocyte proportions, DNA methylation and expression occurred in relation to disease activity and involved the STAT pathway. Integration of bulk with single-cell RNA sequencing datasets revealed disease activity-dependent expansion of SLE-specific monocyte subsets, further supported the interferon signature for classic monocytes, and associated intermediate and non-classic populations with exacerbated complement activation. CONCLUSIONS Disease activity in SLE drives a subversion of the epigenome and transcriptome programme in monocyte differentiation, impacting the function of different subsets and allowing to generate predictive methods for activity and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mónica Martínez-Gallo
- Immunology Division, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Diagnostic Immunology Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Celia Lourdes Calvillo
- Epigenetics and Immune Disease Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Calafell-Segura
- Epigenetics and Immune Disease Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Rodríguez-Ubreva
- Epigenetics and Immune Disease Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manel Esteller
- Cancer Epigenetics Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cancer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josefina Cortés-Hernández
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Vall d'Hebron and Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esteban Ballestar
- Epigenetics and Immune Disease Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Epigenetics in Inflammatory and Metabolic Diseases Laboratory, Health Science Center (HSC), East China Normal University (ECNU), Shanghai, China
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2
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Rivero-Garcia I, Torres M, Sánchez-Cabo F. Deep generative models in single-cell omics. Comput Biol Med 2024; 176:108561. [PMID: 38749321 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108561] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Deep Generative Models (DGMs) are becoming instrumental for inferring probability distributions inherent to complex processes, such as most questions in biomedical research. For many years, there was a lack of mathematical methods that would allow this inference in the scarce data scenario of biomedical research. The advent of single-cell omics has finally made square the so-called "skinny matrix", allowing to apply mathematical methods already extensively used in other areas. Moreover, it is now possible to integrate data at different molecular levels in thousands or even millions of samples, thanks to the number of single-cell atlases being collaboratively generated. Additionally, DGMs have proven useful in other frequent tasks in single-cell analysis pipelines, from dimensionality reduction, cell type annotation to RNA velocity inference. In spite of its promise, DGMs need to be used with caution in biomedical research, paying special attention to its use to answer the right questions and the definition of appropriate error metrics and validation check points that confirm not only its correct use but also its relevance. All in all, DGMs provide an exciting tool that opens a bright future for the integrative analysis of single-cell -omics to understand health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Rivero-Garcia
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain; Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Miguel Torres
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Fátima Sánchez-Cabo
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, 28029, Spain.
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3
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Caldwell BA, Li L. Epigenetic regulation of innate immune dynamics during inflammation. J Leukoc Biol 2024; 115:589-606. [PMID: 38301269 PMCID: PMC10980576 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Innate immune cells play essential roles in modulating both immune defense and inflammation by expressing a diverse array of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, phagocytizing pathogens to promote immune clearance, and assisting with the adaptive immune processes through antigen presentation. Rudimentary innate immune "memory" states such as training, tolerance, and exhaustion develop based on the nature, strength, and duration of immune challenge, thereby enabling dynamic transcriptional reprogramming to alter present and future cell behavior. Underlying transcriptional reprogramming are broad changes to the epigenome, or chromatin alterations above the level of DNA sequence. These changes include direct modification of DNA through cytosine methylation as well as indirect modifications through alterations to histones that comprise the protein core of nucleosomes. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in our understanding of how these epigenetic changes influence the dynamic behavior of the innate immune system during both acute and chronic inflammation, as well as how stable changes to the epigenome result in long-term alterations of innate cell behavior related to pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A. Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 970 Washington St. SW, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0910, USA
| | - Liwu Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 970 Washington St. SW, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0910, USA
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4
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Krause C, Bergmann E, Schmidt SV. Epigenetic modulation of myeloid cell functions in HIV and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:342. [PMID: 38400997 PMCID: PMC10894183 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09266-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Myeloid cells play a vital role in innate immune responses as they recognize and phagocytose pathogens like viruses, present antigens, produce cytokines, recruit other immune cells to combat infections, and contribute to the attenuation of immune responses to restore homeostasis. Signal integration by pathogen recognition receptors enables myeloid cells to adapt their functions by a network of transcription factors and chromatin remodelers. This review provides a brief overview of the subtypes of myeloid cells and the main epigenetic regulation mechanisms. Special focus is placed on the epigenomic alterations in viral nucleic acids of HIV and SARS-CoV-2 along with the epigenetic changes in the host's myeloid cell compartment. These changes are important as they lead to immune suppression and promote the progression of the disease. Finally, we highlight some promising examples of 'epidrugs' that modulate the epigenome of immune cells and could be used as therapeutics for viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Krause
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Eva Bergmann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Susanne Viktoria Schmidt
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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5
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Kumar V, Stewart JH. Immune Homeostasis: A Novel Example of Teamwork. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2782:1-24. [PMID: 38622389 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3754-8_1] [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] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
All living organisms must maintain homeostasis to survive, reproduce, and pass their traits on to the next generation. If homeostasis is not maintained, it can result in various diseases and ultimately lead to death. Physiologists have coined the term "homeostasis" to describe this process. With the emergence of immunology as a separate branch of medicine, the concept of immune homeostasis has been introduced. Maintaining immune homeostasis is crucial to support overall homeostasis through different immunological and non-immunological routes. Any changes in the immune system can lead to chronic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency diseases, frequent infections, and cancers. Ongoing scientific advances are exploring new avenues in immunology and immune homeostasis maintenance. This chapter introduces the concept of immune homeostasis and its maintenance through different mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Kumar
- Department of Surgery, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical Education Building-C, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John H Stewart
- Department of Surgery, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical Education Building-C, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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6
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Dey A, Vaishak K, Deka D, Radhakrishnan AK, Paul S, Shanmugam P, Daniel AP, Pathak S, Duttaroy AK, Banerjee A. Epigenetic perspectives associated with COVID-19 infection and related cytokine storm: an updated review. Infection 2023; 51:1603-1618. [PMID: 36906872 PMCID: PMC10008189 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-023-02017-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has put the world in a medical crisis for the past three years; nearly 6.3 million lives have been diminished due to the virus outbreak. This review aims to update the recent findings on COVID-19 infections from an epigenetic scenario and develop future perspectives of epi-drugs to treat the disease. METHODS Original research articles and review studies related to COVID-19 were searched and analyzed from the Google Scholar/PubMed/Medline databases mainly between 2019 and 2022 to brief the recent work. RESULTS Numerous in-depth studies of the mechanisms used by SARS-CoV-2 have been going on to minimize the consequences of the viral outburst. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 receptors and Transmembrane serine protease 2 facilitate viral entry to the host cells. Upon internalization, it uses the host machinery to replicate viral copies and alter the downstream regulation of the normal cells, causing infection-related morbidities and mortalities. In addition, several epigenetic regulations such as DNA methylation, acetylation, histone modifications, microRNA, and other factors (age, sex, etc.) are responsible for the regulations of viral entry, its immune evasion, and cytokine responses also play a major modulatory role in COVID-19 severity, which has been discussed in detail in this review. CONCLUSION Findings of epigenetic regulation of viral pathogenicity open a new window for epi-drugs as a possible therapeutical approach against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Dey
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Kelambakkam, Chennai, TN, 603103, India
| | - K Vaishak
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Kelambakkam, Chennai, TN, 603103, India
| | - Dikshita Deka
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Kelambakkam, Chennai, TN, 603103, India
| | - Arun Kumar Radhakrishnan
- Department of Pharmacology, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chennai, TN, India
| | - Sujay Paul
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No.500 Fracc., CP 76130, San Pablo, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Priyadarshini Shanmugam
- Department of Microbiology, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chennai, TN, 603103, India
| | - Alice Peace Daniel
- Department of Microbiology, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chennai, TN, 603103, India
| | - Surajit Pathak
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Kelambakkam, Chennai, TN, 603103, India
| | - Asim K Duttaroy
- Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Antara Banerjee
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Kelambakkam, Chennai, TN, 603103, India.
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7
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Gu J, Liu Q, Zhang J, Xu S. COVID-19 and trained immunity: the inflammatory burden of long covid. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1294959. [PMID: 38090572 PMCID: PMC10713746 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1294959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe COVID-19 elicits excessive inflammation mediated by innate immune cells like monocytes. Recent evidence reveals extensive epigenetic changes in monocytes during recovery from severe COVID-19, including increased chromatin accessibility at genes related to cytokine production and leukocyte activation. These changes likely originate from the reprogramming of upstream hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and represent "trained immunity". HSPC-to-monocyte transmission of epigenetic memory may explain the persistence of these monocyte alterations despite their short lifespan. IL-6 appears pivotal for imprinting durable epigenetic modifications in monocytes during acute infection, with IL-1β potentially playing a contributory role. The poised inflammatory phenotype of monocytes post-COVID-19 may drive chronic inflammation and tissue damage, contributing to post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 symptoms. COVID-19 could also exacerbate inflammation-related diseases, such multisystem inflammatory syndromes, by altering innate immune tendencies via hematopoietic epigenetic reprogramming. Further clinical investigations quantifying inflammatory mediators and mapping epigenetic changes in HSPCs/monocytes of recovering patients are warranted. Research should also examine whether COVID-19 elicits transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic alterations. Elucidating mechanisms underlying COVID-19-induced monocyte reprogramming and developing interventions targeting key inflammatory regulators like IL-6 may mitigate the sustained inflammatory burden imposed by the aberrant trained immunity post-COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jienan Gu
- Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qianhui Liu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiale Zhang
- Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shijie Xu
- Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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8
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Yedidya Y, Davis D, Drier Y. SARS-CoV-2 infection perturbs enhancer mediated transcriptional regulation of key pathways. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011397. [PMID: 37561814 PMCID: PMC10443870 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive studies on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, there is still a lack of understanding of the downstream epigenetic and regulatory alterations in infected cells. In this study, we investigated changes in enhancer acetylation in epithelial lung cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 and their influence on transcriptional regulation and pathway activity. To achieve this, we integrated and reanalyzed data of enhancer acetylation, ex-vivo infection and single cell RNA-seq data from human patients. Our findings revealed coordinated changes in enhancers and transcriptional networks. We found that infected cells lose the WT1 transcription factor and demonstrate disruption of WT1-bound enhancers and of their associated target genes. Downstream targets of WT1 are involved in the regulation of the Wnt signaling and the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, which indeed exhibit increased activation levels. These findings may provide a potential explanation for the development of pulmonary fibrosis, a lethal complication of COVID-19. Moreover, we revealed over-acetylated enhancers associated with upregulated genes involved in cell adhesion, which could contribute to cell-cell infection of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, we demonstrated that enhancers may play a role in the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and contribute to excessive inflammation in the lungs, a typical complication of COVID-19. Overall, our analysis provided novel insights into the cell-autonomous dysregulation of enhancer regulation caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, a step on the path to a deeper molecular understanding of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahel Yedidya
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Daniel Davis
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yotam Drier
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
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9
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Williams H, Mack C, Baraz R, Marimuthu R, Naralashetty S, Li S, Medbury H. Monocyte Differentiation and Heterogeneity: Inter-Subset and Interindividual Differences. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108757. [PMID: 37240103 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The three subsets of human monocytes, classical, intermediate, and nonclassical, show phenotypic heterogeneity, particularly in their expression of CD14 and CD16. This has enabled researchers to delve into the functions of each subset in the steady state as well as in disease. Studies have revealed that monocyte heterogeneity is multi-dimensional. In addition, that their phenotype and function differ between subsets is well established. However, it is becoming evident that heterogeneity also exists within each subset, between health and disease (current or past) states, and even between individuals. This realisation casts long shadows, impacting how we identify and classify the subsets, the functions we assign to them, and how they are examined for alterations in disease. Perhaps the most fascinating is evidence that, even in relative health, interindividual differences in monocyte subsets exist. It is proposed that the individual's microenvironment could cause long-lasting or irreversible changes to monocyte precursors that echo to monocytes and through to their derived macrophages. Here, we will discuss the types of heterogeneity recognised in monocytes, the implications of these for monocyte research, and most importantly, the relevance of this heterogeneity for health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Williams
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Corinne Mack
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Rana Baraz
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Rekha Marimuthu
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Sravanthi Naralashetty
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Stephen Li
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Chemical Pathology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital and Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- . Blacktown/Mt Druitt Clinical School, Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney University, Blacktown, NSW 2148, Australia
| | - Heather Medbury
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
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10
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Lim FY, Kim SY, Kulkarni KN, Blazevic RL, Kimball LE, Lea HG, Haack AJ, Gower MS, Stevens-Ayers T, Starita LM, Boeckh M, Schiffer JT, Hyrien O, Theberge AB, Waghmare A. Longitudinal home self-collection of capillary blood using homeRNA correlates interferon and innate viral defense pathways with SARS-CoV-2 viral clearance. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.01.24.23284913. [PMID: 37034678 PMCID: PMC10081427 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.24.23284913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Blood transcriptional profiling is a powerful tool to evaluate immune responses to infection; however, blood collection via traditional phlebotomy remains a barrier to precise characterization of the immune response in dynamic infections (e.g., respiratory viruses). Here we present an at-home self-collection methodology, homeRNA, to study the host transcriptional response during acute SARS-CoV-2 infections. This method uniquely enables high frequency measurement of the host immune kinetics in non-hospitalized adults during the acute and most dynamic stage of their infection. COVID-19+ and healthy participants self-collected blood every other day for two weeks with daily nasal swabs and symptom surveys to track viral load kinetics and symptom burden, respectively. While healthy uninfected participants showed remarkably stable immune kinetics with no significant dynamic genes, COVID-19+ participants, on the contrary, depicted a robust response with over 418 dynamic genes associated with interferon and innate viral defense pathways. When stratified by vaccination status, we detected distinct response signatures between unvaccinated and breakthrough (vaccinated) infection subgroups; unvaccinated individuals portrayed a response repertoire characterized by higher innate antiviral responses, interferon signaling, and cytotoxic lymphocyte responses while breakthrough infections portrayed lower levels of interferon signaling and enhanced early cell-mediated response. Leveraging cross-platform longitudinal sampling (nasal swabs and blood), we observed that IFI27, a key viral response gene, tracked closely with SARS-CoV-2 viral clearance in individual participants. Taken together, these results demonstrate that at-home sampling can capture key host antiviral responses and facilitate frequent longitudinal sampling to detect transient host immune kinetics during dynamic immune states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yun Lim
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Soo-Young Kim
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Karisma N. Kulkarni
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Rachel L. Blazevic
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Louise E. Kimball
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Hannah G. Lea
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Amanda J. Haack
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Maia. S. Gower
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Terry Stevens-Ayers
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Lea M. Starita
- Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Michael Boeckh
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Joshua T. Schiffer
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Ollivier Hyrien
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Ashleigh B. Theberge
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
- Department of Urology, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Alpana Waghmare
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute; Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
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