1
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Sop J, Traut CC, Dykema AG, Hunt JH, Beckey TP, Basseth CR, Antar AAR, Laeyendecker O, Smith KN, Blankson JN. Bivalent mRNA COVID vaccines elicit predominantly cross-reactive CD4 + T cell clonotypes. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101442. [PMID: 38423018 PMCID: PMC10983033 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101442] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Bivalent COVID vaccines containing mRNA for ancestral and Omicron BA.5 spike proteins do not induce stronger T cell responses to Omicron BA.5 spike proteins than monovalent vaccines that contain only ancestral spike mRNA. The reasons for this finding have not been elucidated. Here, we show that healthy donors (HDs) and people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy mostly target T cell epitopes that are not affected by BA.5 mutations. We use the functional expansion of specific T cells (FEST) assay to determine the percentage of CD4+ T cells that cross-recognize both spike proteins and those that are monoreactive for each protein. We show a predominance of cross-reactive CD4+ T cells; less than 10% percent of spike-specific CD4+ T cell receptors were BA.5 monoreactive in most HDs and PLWH. Our data suggest that the current bivalent vaccines do not induce robust BA.5-monoreactive T cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Sop
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Caroline C Traut
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Arbor G Dykema
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joanne H Hunt
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tyler P Beckey
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Oliver Laeyendecker
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kellie N Smith
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Joel N Blankson
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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2
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Reeves DB, Rigau DN, Romero A, Zhang H, Simonetti FR, Varriale J, Hoh R, Zhang L, Smith KN, Montaner LJ, Rubin LH, Gange SJ, Roan NR, Tien PC, Margolick JB, Peluso MJ, Deeks SG, Schiffer JT, Siliciano JD, Siliciano RF, Antar AAR. Mild HIV-specific selective forces overlaying natural CD4+ T cell dynamics explain the clonality and decay dynamics of HIV reservoir cells. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.02.13.24302704. [PMID: 38405967 PMCID: PMC10888981 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.13.24302704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The latent reservoir of HIV persists for decades in people living with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART). To determine if persistence arises from the natural dynamics of memory CD4+ T cells harboring HIV, we compared the clonal dynamics of HIV proviruses to that of memory CD4+ T cell receptors (TCRβ) from the same PWH and from HIV-seronegative people. We show that clonal dominance of HIV proviruses and antigen-specific CD4+ T cells are similar but that the field's understanding of the persistence of the less clonally dominant reservoir is significantly limited by undersampling. We demonstrate that increasing reservoir clonality over time and differential decay of intact and defective proviruses cannot be explained by mCD4+ T cell kinetics alone. Finally, we develop a stochastic model of TCRβ and proviruses that recapitulates experimental observations and suggests that HIV-specific negative selection mediates approximately 6% of intact and 2% of defective proviral clearance. Thus, HIV persistence is mostly, but not entirely, driven by natural mCD4+ T cell kinetics.
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3
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Dragoni F, Kwaa AK, Traut CC, Veenhuis RT, Woldemeskel BA, Camilo-Contreras A, Raymond HE, Dykema AG, Scully EP, Rosecrans AM, Smith KN, Bushman FD, Simonetti FR, Blankson JN. Proviral location affects cognate peptide-induced virus production and immune recognition of HIV-1-infected T cell clones. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e171097. [PMID: 37698927 PMCID: PMC10617777 DOI: 10.1172/jci171097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDHIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells contribute to latent reservoir persistence by proliferating while avoiding immune recognition. Integration features of intact proviruses in elite controllers (ECs) and people on long-term therapy suggest that proviruses in specific chromosomal locations can evade immune surveillance. However, direct evidence of this mechanism is missing.METHODSIn this case report, we characterized integration sites and full genome sequences of expanded T cell clones in an EC before and after chemoradiation. We identified the cognate peptide of infected clones to investigate cell proliferation and virus production induced by T cell activation, and susceptibility to autologous CD8+ T cells.RESULTSThe proviral landscape was dominated by 2 large clones with replication-competent proviruses integrated into zinc finger (ZNF) genes (ZNF470 and ZNF721) in locations previously associated with deeper latency. A third nearly intact provirus, with a stop codon in Pol, was integrated into an intergenic site. Upon stimulation with cognate Gag peptides, infected clones proliferated extensively and produced virus, but the provirus in ZNF721 was 200-fold less inducible. While autologous CD8+ T cells decreased the proliferation of cells carrying the intergenic provirus, they had no effect on cells with the provirus in the ZNF721 gene.CONCLUSIONSWe provide direct evidence that upon activation of infected clones by cognate antigen, the lower inducibility of intact proviruses in ZNF genes can result in immune evasion and persistence.FUNDINGOffice of the NIH Director and National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research; NIAID, NIH; Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rebecca T. Veenhuis
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, and
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Hayley E. Raymond
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arbor G. Dykema
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Kellie N. Smith
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Frederic D. Bushman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Joel N. Blankson
- Department of Medicine
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, and
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4
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Li J, Xiao Z, Wang D, Jia L, Nie S, Zeng X, Hu W. The screening, identification, design and clinical application of tumor-specific neoantigens for TCR-T cells. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:141. [PMID: 37649123 PMCID: PMC10466891 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01844-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in neoantigen research have accelerated the development of tumor immunotherapies, including adoptive cell therapies (ACTs), cancer vaccines and antibody-based therapies, particularly for solid tumors. With the development of next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics technology, the rapid identification and prediction of tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) has become possible. Compared with tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), highly immunogenic TSAs provide new targets for personalized tumor immunotherapy and can be used as prospective indicators for predicting tumor patient survival, prognosis, and immune checkpoint blockade response. Here, the identification and characterization of neoantigens and the clinical application of neoantigen-based TCR-T immunotherapy strategies are summarized, and the current status, inherent challenges, and clinical translational potential of these strategies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangping Li
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhiwen Xiao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, People's Republic of China
| | - Donghui Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Jia
- International Health Medicine Innovation Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - Shihong Nie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingda Zeng
- Department of Parasitology of Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, People's Republic of China
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5
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Jani S, Church CD, Nghiem P. Insights into anti-tumor immunity via the polyomavirus shared across human Merkel cell carcinomas. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1172913. [PMID: 37287968 PMCID: PMC10242112 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1172913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding and augmenting cancer-specific immunity is impeded by the fact that most tumors are driven by patient-specific mutations that encode unique antigenic epitopes. The shared antigens in virus-driven tumors can help overcome this limitation. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a particularly interesting tumor immunity model because (1) 80% of cases are driven by Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) oncoproteins that must be continually expressed for tumor survival; (2) MCPyV oncoproteins are only ~400 amino acids in length and are essentially invariant between tumors; (3) MCPyV-specific T cell responses are robust and strongly linked to patient outcomes; (4) anti-MCPyV antibodies reliably increase with MCC recurrence, forming the basis of a standard clinical surveillance test; and (5) MCC has one of the highest response rates to PD-1 pathway blockade among all solid cancers. Leveraging these well-defined viral oncoproteins, a set of tools that includes over 20 peptide-MHC class I tetramers has been developed to facilitate the study of anti-tumor immunity across MCC patients. Additionally, the highly immunogenic nature of MCPyV oncoproteins forces MCC tumors to develop robust immune evasion mechanisms to survive. Indeed, several immune evasion mechanisms are active in MCC, including transcriptional downregulation of MHC expression by tumor cells and upregulation of inhibitory molecules including PD-L1 and immunosuppressive cytokines. About half of patients with advanced MCC do not persistently benefit from PD-1 pathway blockade. Herein, we (1) summarize the lessons learned from studying the anti-tumor T cell response to virus-positive MCC; (2) review immune evasion mechanisms in MCC; (3) review mechanisms of resistance to immune-based therapies in MCC and other cancers; and (4) discuss how recently developed tools can be used to address open questions in cancer immunotherapy. We believe detailed investigation of this model cancer will provide insight into tumor immunity that will likely also be applicable to more common cancers without shared tumor antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumya Jani
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Candice D. Church
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Paul Nghiem
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, United States
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6
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Frank ML, Lu K, Erdogan C, Han Y, Hu J, Wang T, Heymach JV, Zhang J, Reuben A. T-Cell Receptor Repertoire Sequencing in the Era of Cancer Immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:994-1008. [PMID: 36413126 PMCID: PMC10011887 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
T cells are integral components of the adaptive immune system, and their responses are mediated by unique T-cell receptors (TCR) that recognize specific antigens from a variety of biological contexts. As a result, analyzing the T-cell repertoire offers a better understanding of immune responses and of diseases like cancer. Next-generation sequencing technologies have greatly enabled the high-throughput analysis of the TCR repertoire. On the basis of our extensive experience in the field from the past decade, we provide an overview of TCR sequencing, from the initial library preparation steps to sequencing and analysis methods and finally to functional validation techniques. With regards to data analysis, we detail important TCR repertoire metrics and present several computational tools for predicting antigen specificity. Finally, we highlight important applications of TCR sequencing and repertoire analysis to understanding tumor biology and developing cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith L Frank
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Kaylene Lu
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.,Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Can Erdogan
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Rice University, Houston, Texas
| | - Yi Han
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jian Hu
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.,Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Tao Wang
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.,Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - John V Heymach
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.,Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Alexandre Reuben
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
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7
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Schroeder SM, Nelde A, Walz JS. Viral T-cell epitopes - Identification, characterization and clinical application. Semin Immunol 2023; 66:101725. [PMID: 36706520 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
T-cell immunity, mediated by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, represents a cornerstone in the control of viral infections. Virus-derived T-cell epitopes are represented by human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-presented viral peptides on the surface of virus-infected cells. They are the prerequisite for the recognition of infected cells by T cells. Knowledge of viral T-cell epitopes provides on the one hand a diagnostic tool to decipher protective T-cell immune responses in the human population and on the other hand various prophylactic and therapeutic options including vaccination approaches and the transfer of virus-specific T cells. Such approaches have already been proven to be effective against various viral infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients lacking sufficient humoral, antibody-based immune response. This review provides an overview on the state of the art as well as current studies regarding the identification and characterization of viral T-cell epitopes and approaches of clinical application. In the first chapter in silico prediction tools and direct, mass spectrometry-based identification of viral T-cell epitopes is compared. The second chapter provides an overview of commonly used assays for further characterization of T-cell responses and phenotypes. The final chapter presents an overview of clinical application of viral T-cell epitopes with a focus on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), being representatives of relevant viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Schroeder
- Department of Peptide-based Immunotherapy, University and University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department for Otorhinolaryngology, Head, and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annika Nelde
- Department of Peptide-based Immunotherapy, University and University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Juliane S Walz
- Department of Peptide-based Immunotherapy, University and University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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8
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Woldemeskel BA, Dykema AG, Garliss CC, Cherfils S, Smith KN, Blankson JN. CD4+ T cells from COVID-19 mRNA vaccine recipients recognize a conserved epitope present in diverse coronaviruses. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:e156083. [PMID: 35061630 PMCID: PMC8884904 DOI: 10.1172/jci156083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that vaccinated individuals harbor T cells that can cross-recognize SARS-CoV-2 and endemic human common cold coronaviruses. However, it is still unknown whether CD4+ T cells from vaccinated individuals recognize peptides from bat coronaviruses that may have the potential of causing future pandemics. In this study, we identified a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein epitope (S815-827) that is conserved in coronaviruses from different genera and subgenera, including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, multiple bat coronaviruses, and a feline coronavirus. Our results showed that S815-827 was recognized by 42% of vaccinated participants in our study who received the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) or Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccines. Using T cell expansion and T cell receptor sequencing assays, we demonstrated that S815-827-reactive CD4+ T cells from the majority of responders cross-recognized homologous peptides from at least 6 other diverse coronaviruses. Our results support the hypothesis that the current mRNA vaccines elicit T cell responses that can cross-recognize bat coronaviruses and thus might induce some protection against potential zoonotic outbreaks. Furthermore, our data provide important insights that inform the development of T cell-based pan-coronavirus vaccine strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arbor G. Dykema
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Kellie N. Smith
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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9
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Sandgaard KS, Gkouleli T, Attenborough T, Adams S, Gibbons D, Holm M, Eisen S, Baxendale H, De Rossi A, Pahwa S, Chain B, Gkazi AS, Klein N. The importance of taking ART appropriately in children and adolescents with HIV-1 to reach the highest capacity of immune function later in life. Front Immunol 2022; 13:860316. [PMID: 35967315 PMCID: PMC9364750 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.860316] [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: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines recommend treating all children with HIV-1 infection. This has changed from the broader use of ART to treat children to improve morbidity and minimise mortality. However, prior to current recommendations, not everyone with HIV-1 received timely treatment. What happens to the paediatric immune system when HIV-1 replication is not appropriately supressed remains unclear. 11 samples from adolescents with HIV-1 on ART and uninfected controls in the UK, aged 12-25 years, were examined; overall, adolescents with CD4+ counts > 500/μl and a viral load < 50 copies/ml were compared with adolescents with CD4+ counts < 500/μl and a viral load > 50 copies/ml at time of sampling. Measurements of thymic output were combined with high throughput next generation sequencing and bioinformatics to systematically organize CD4+ and CD8+ T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires. TCR repertoire diversity, clonal expansions, TCR sequence sharing, and formation of TCR clusters in HIV-1 infected adolescents with successful HIV-1 suppression were compared to adolescents with ineffective HIV-1 suppression. Thymic output and CD4+ T cell numbers were decreased in HIV-1 infected adolescents with poor HIV-1 suppression. A strong homeostatic TCR response, driven by the decreased CD4+ T cell compartment and reduced thymic output was observed in the virally uncontrolled HIV-1-infected adolescents. Formation of abundant robust TCR clusters and structurally related TCRs were found in the adolescents with effective HIV-1 suppression. Numerous CD4+ T cell numbers in the virally controlled adolescents emphasize the importance of high thymic output and formation of robust TCR clusters in the maintenance of HIV-1 suppression. While the profound capacity for immune recovery in children may allow better opportunity to deal with immunological stress, when ART is taken appropriately, this study demonstrates new insights into the unique paediatric immune system and the immunological changes when HIV-1 replication is ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Schou Sandgaard
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Triantafylia Gkouleli
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom.,University College London (UCL) Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Attenborough
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Adams
- Genetics and Rare Diseases, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Deena Gibbons
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mette Holm
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sarah Eisen
- Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Baxendale
- Clinical Immunology Department, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anita De Rossi
- Department of Mother and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Savita Pahwa
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Benny Chain
- University College London (UCL) Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London (UCL) Cruciform Building, London, United Kingdom
| | - Athina S Gkazi
- Genetics and Rare Diseases, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel Klein
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
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10
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Collins DR, Urbach JM, Racenet ZJ, Arshad U, Power KA, Newman RM, Mylvaganam GH, Ly NL, Lian X, Rull A, Rassadkina Y, Yanez AG, Peluso MJ, Deeks SG, Vidal F, Lichterfeld M, Yu XG, Gaiha GD, Allen TM, Walker BD. Functional impairment of HIV-specific CD8 + T cells precedes aborted spontaneous control of viremia. Immunity 2021; 54:2372-2384.e7. [PMID: 34496223 PMCID: PMC8516715 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Spontaneous control of HIV infection has been repeatedly linked to antiviral CD8+ T cells but is not always permanent. To address mechanisms of durable and aborted control of viremia, we evaluated immunologic and virologic parameters longitudinally among 34 HIV-infected subjects with differential outcomes. Despite sustained recognition of autologous virus, HIV-specific proliferative and cytolytic T cell effector functions became selectively and intrinsically impaired prior to aborted control. Longitudinal transcriptomic profiling of functionally impaired HIV-specific CD8+ T cells revealed altered expression of genes related to activation, cytokine-mediated signaling, and cell cycle regulation, including increased expression of the antiproliferative transcription factor KLF2 but not of genes associated with canonical exhaustion. Lymphoid HIV-specific CD8+ T cells also exhibited poor functionality during aborted control relative to durable control. Our results identify selective functional impairment of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells as prognostic of impending aborted HIV control, with implications for clinical monitoring and immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Collins
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Umar Arshad
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Karen A Power
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ruchi M Newman
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Geetha H Mylvaganam
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Ngoc L Ly
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xiaodong Lian
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna Rull
- Joan XXIII University Hospital, Pere Virgili Institute (IISPV), Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Yelizaveta Rassadkina
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adrienne G Yanez
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Michael J Peluso
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Steven G Deeks
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Francesc Vidal
- Joan XXIII University Hospital, Pere Virgili Institute (IISPV), Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Mathias Lichterfeld
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xu G Yu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gaurav D Gaiha
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Todd M Allen
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bruce D Walker
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW HIV-1 elite controllers encompass small populations of people infected with HIV-1 who can spontaneously control plasma viral loads below the limit of detection, in the absence of antiretroviral treatment. Antiviral immune responses are likely to contribute to such an impressive HIV-1 disease outcome. In this review, we discuss recent novel findings regarding antiviral innate and adaptive immune responses in elite controllers. RECENT FINDINGS Elite controllers maintain a pool of infected cells in which intact HIV-1 proviruses are more frequently integrated into noncoding regions of the host genome, likely conferring a state of deep latency. This atypical viral reservoir configuration is best explained by potent antiviral immune responses that can successfully eliminate virally infected cells in which proviruses are integrated into permissive chromatin. However, identifying the specific type and nature of this immune selection pressure represents a formidable challenge. Recent studies continue to support the role of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells as the main driver of elite immune control of HIV-1, however, increasing evidence suggests that their role is complemented by a fine-tuned interplay with innate immune cell subsets. Therefore, the combination of different immune effector mechanisms may shape antiviral immunity in elite controllers. SUMMARY Understanding the complex immune mechanisms responsible for natural, drug-free HIV-1 control represents a premier avenue to find and develop interventions for a cure of HIV-1 infection. Future single-cell assays designed to uncover the full genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional and functional complexity of antiviral immune responses in elite controllers may allow us to define correlates of antiviral immune protection in greater detail.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xu G. Yu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA; 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Dykema AG, Zhang B, Woldemeskel BA, Garliss CC, Cheung LS, Choudhury D, Zhang J, Aparicio L, Bom S, Rashid R, Caushi JX, Hsiue EHC, Cascino K, Thompson EA, Kwaa AK, Singh D, Thapa S, Ordonez AA, Pekosz A, D'Alessio FR, Powell JD, Yegnasubramanian S, Zhou S, Pardoll DM, Ji H, Cox AL, Blankson JN, Smith KN. Functional characterization of CD4+ T cell receptors crossreactive for SARS-CoV-2 and endemic coronaviruses. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:146922. [PMID: 33830946 DOI: 10.1172/jci146922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDRecent studies have reported T cell immunity to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in unexposed donors, possibly due to crossrecognition by T cells specific for common cold coronaviruses (CCCs). True T cell crossreactivity, defined as the recognition by a single TCR of more than one distinct peptide-MHC ligand, has never been shown in the context of SARS-CoV-2.METHODSWe used the viral functional expansion of specific T cells (ViraFEST) platform to identify T cell responses crossreactive for the spike (S) glycoproteins of SARS-CoV-2 and CCCs at the T cell receptor (TCR) clonotype level in convalescent COVID-19 patients (CCPs) and SARS-CoV-2-unexposed donors. Confirmation of SARS-CoV-2/CCC crossreactivity and assessments of functional avidity were performed using a TCR cloning and transfection system.RESULTSMemory CD4+ T cell clonotypes that crossrecognized the S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and at least one other CCC were detected in 65% of CCPs and unexposed donors. Several of these TCRs were shared among multiple donors. Crossreactive T cells demonstrated significantly impaired SARS-CoV-2-specific proliferation in vitro relative to monospecific CD4+ T cells, which was consistent with lower functional avidity of their TCRs for SARS-CoV-2 relative to CCC.CONCLUSIONSOur data confirm, for what we believe is the first time, the existence of unique memory CD4+ T cell clonotypes crossrecognizing SARS-CoV-2 and CCCs. The lower avidity of crossreactive TCRs for SARS-CoV-2 may be the result of antigenic imprinting, such that preexisting CCC-specific memory T cells have reduced expansive capacity upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further studies are needed to determine how these crossreactive T cell responses affect clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.FUNDINGNIH funding (U54CA260492, P30CA006973, P41EB028239, R01AI153349, R01AI145435-A1, R21AI149760, and U19A1088791) was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. The Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, The Johns Hopkins University Provost, and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided funding for this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arbor G Dykema
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Boyang Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health
| | | | | | - Laurene S Cheung
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Dilshad Choudhury
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Luis Aparicio
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Sadhana Bom
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Rufiaat Rashid
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Justina X Caushi
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Emily Han-Chung Hsiue
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA.,Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | | | - Elizabeth A Thompson
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | | | - Dipika Singh
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Sampriti Thapa
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | | | - Andrew Pekosz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Jonathan D Powell
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | | | - Shibin Zhou
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA.,Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Drew M Pardoll
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Hongkai Ji
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health
| | - Andrea L Cox
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and
| | | | - Kellie N Smith
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
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13
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DeepTCR is a deep learning framework for revealing sequence concepts within T-cell repertoires. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1605. [PMID: 33707415 PMCID: PMC7952906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21879-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep learning algorithms have been utilized to achieve enhanced performance in pattern-recognition tasks. The ability to learn complex patterns in data has tremendous implications in immunogenomics. T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing assesses the diversity of the adaptive immune system and allows for modeling its sequence determinants of antigenicity. We present DeepTCR, a suite of unsupervised and supervised deep learning methods able to model highly complex TCR sequencing data by learning a joint representation of a TCR by its CDR3 sequences and V/D/J gene usage. We demonstrate the utility of deep learning to provide an improved 'featurization' of the TCR across multiple human and murine datasets, including improved classification of antigen-specific TCRs and extraction of antigen-specific TCRs from noisy single-cell RNA-Seq and T-cell culture-based assays. Our results highlight the flexibility and capacity for deep neural networks to extract meaningful information from complex immunogenomic data for both descriptive and predictive purposes.
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