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Coulon PG, Prakash S, Dhanushkodi NR, Srivastava R, Zayou L, Tifrea DF, Edwards RA, Figueroa CJ, Schubl SD, Hsieh L, Nesburn AB, Kuppermann BD, Bahraoui E, Vahed H, Gil D, Jones TM, Ulmer JB, BenMohamed L. High frequencies of alpha common cold coronavirus/SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive functional CD4 + and CD8 + memory T cells are associated with protection from symptomatic and fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1343716. [PMID: 38605956 PMCID: PMC11007208 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1343716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are present in up to 50% of unexposed, pre-pandemic, healthy individuals (UPPHIs). However, the characteristics of cross-reactive memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells associated with subsequent protection of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients (i.e., unvaccinated individuals who never develop any COVID-19 symptoms despite being infected with SARS-CoV-2) remains to be fully elucidated. Methods This study compares the antigen specificity, frequency, phenotype, and function of cross-reactive memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between common cold coronaviruses (CCCs) and SARS-CoV-2. T-cell responses against genome-wide conserved epitopes were studied early in the disease course in a cohort of 147 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients who were divided into six groups based on the severity of their symptoms. Results Compared to severely ill COVID-19 patients and patients with fatal COVID-19 outcomes, the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients displayed significantly: (i) higher rates of co-infection with the 229E alpha species of CCCs (α-CCC-229E); (ii) higher frequencies of cross-reactive functional CD134+CD137+CD4+ and CD134+CD137+CD8+ T cells that cross-recognized conserved epitopes from α-CCCs and SARS-CoV-2 structural, non-structural, and accessory proteins; and (iii) lower frequencies of CCCs/SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive exhausted PD-1+TIM3+TIGIT+CTLA4+CD4+ and PD-1+TIM3+TIGIT+CTLA4+CD8+ T cells, detected both ex vivo and in vitro. Conclusions These findings (i) support a crucial role of functional, poly-antigenic α-CCCs/SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, induced following previous CCCs seasonal exposures, in protection against subsequent severe COVID-19 disease and (ii) provide critical insights into developing broadly protective, multi-antigen, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cell-based, universal pan-Coronavirus vaccines capable of conferring cross-species protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Gregoire Coulon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Nisha R. Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Ruchi Srivastava
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Latifa Zayou
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Delia F. Tifrea
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Robert A. Edwards
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Cesar J. Figueroa
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Trauma, Burns and Critical Care, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Sebastian D. Schubl
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Trauma, Burns and Critical Care, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Lanny Hsieh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospitalist Program, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Anthony B. Nesburn
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Baruch D. Kuppermann
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | | | - Hawa Vahed
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Daniel Gil
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Trevor M. Jones
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jeffrey B. Ulmer
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Université Paul Sabatier, Infinity, Inserm, Toulouse, France
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
- Institute for Immunology, The University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Prakash S, Dhanushkodi NR, Singer M, Quadiri A, Zayou L, Vahed H, Coulon PG, Ibraim IC, Tafoya C, Hitchcock L, Landucci G, Forthal DN, El Babsiri A, Tifrea DF, Figueroa CJ, Nesburn AB, Kuppermann BD, Gil D, Jones TM, Ulmer JB, BenMohamed L. A Broad-Spectrum Multi-Antigen mRNA/LNP-Based Pan-Coronavirus Vaccine Induced Potent Cross-Protective Immunity Against Infection and Disease Caused by Highly Pathogenic and Heavily Spike-Mutated SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in the Syrian Hamster Model. bioRxiv 2024:2024.02.14.580225. [PMID: 38405942 PMCID: PMC10888826 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The first-generation Spike-alone-based COVID-19 vaccines have successfully contributed to reducing the risk of hospitalization, serious illness, and death caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, waning immunity induced by these vaccines failed to prevent immune escape by many variants of concern (VOCs) that emerged from 2020 to 2024, resulting in a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesize that a next-generation Coronavirus (CoV) vaccine incorporating highly conserved non-Spike SARS-CoV-2 antigens would confer stronger and broader cross-protective immunity against multiple VOCs. In the present study, we identified ten non-Spike antigens that are highly conserved in 8.7 million SARS-CoV-2 strains, twenty-one VOCs, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, Common Cold CoVs, and animal CoVs. Seven of the 10 antigens were preferentially recognized by CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells from unvaccinated asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, irrespective of VOC infection. Three out of the seven conserved non-Spike T cell antigens belong to the early expressed Replication and Transcription Complex (RTC) region, when administered to the golden Syrian hamsters, in combination with Spike, as nucleoside-modified mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNP) (i.e., combined mRNA/LNP-based pan-CoV vaccine): (i) Induced high frequencies of lung-resident antigen-specific CXCR5+CD4+ T follicular helper (TFH) cells, GzmB+CD4+ and GzmB+CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (TCYT), and CD69+IFN-γ+TNFα+CD4+ and CD69+IFN-γ+TNFα+CD8+ effector T cells (TEFF); and (ii) Reduced viral load and COVID-19-like symptoms caused by various VOCs, including the highly pathogenic B.1.617.2 Delta variant and the highly transmittable heavily Spike-mutated XBB1.5 Omicron sub-variant. The combined mRNA/LNP-based pan-CoV vaccine could be rapidly adapted for clinical use to confer broader cross-protective immunity against emerging highly mutated and pathogenic VOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Nisha R. Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Mahmoud Singer
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Afshana Quadiri
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Latifa Zayou
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Hawa Vahed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA 92660, USA
| | - Pierre-Gregoire Coulon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Izabela Coimbra Ibraim
- BSL-3 Laboratories, High Containment Core Facility, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine
| | - Christine Tafoya
- BSL-3 Laboratories, High Containment Core Facility, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine
| | - Lauren Hitchcock
- BSL-3 Laboratories, High Containment Core Facility, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine
| | - Gary Landucci
- BSL-3 Laboratories, High Containment Core Facility, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine
| | - Donald N. Forthal
- BSL-3 Laboratories, High Containment Core Facility, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Assia El Babsiri
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Delia F. Tifrea
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Cesar J. Figueroa
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Trauma, Burns & Critical Care, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Anthony B. Nesburn
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Baruch D. Kuppermann
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Daniel Gil
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA 92660, USA
| | - Trevor M. Jones
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA 92660, USA
| | - Jeffrey B. Ulmer
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA 92660, USA
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
- Institute for Immunology; University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA 92660, USA
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Prakash S, Srivastava R, Coulon PG, Dhanushkodi NR, Chentoufi AA, Tifrea DF, Edwards RA, Figueroa CJ, Schubl SD, Hsieh L, Buchmeier MJ, Bouziane M, Nesburn AB, Kuppermann BD, BenMohamed L. Genome-Wide B Cell, CD4 +, and CD8 + T Cell Epitopes That Are Highly Conserved between Human and Animal Coronaviruses, Identified from SARS-CoV-2 as Targets for Preemptive Pan-Coronavirus Vaccines. J Immunol 2021; 206:2566-2582. [PMID: 33911008 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Over the last two decades, there have been three deadly human outbreaks of coronaviruses (CoVs) caused by SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, which has caused the current COVID-19 global pandemic. All three deadly CoVs originated from bats and transmitted to humans via various intermediate animal reservoirs. It remains highly possible that other global COVID pandemics will emerge in the coming years caused by yet another spillover of a bat-derived SARS-like coronavirus (SL-CoV) into humans. Determining the Ag and the human B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitope landscapes that are conserved among human and animal coronaviruses should inform in the development of future pan-coronavirus vaccines. In the current study, using several immunoinformatics and sequence alignment approaches, we identified several human B cell and CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes that are highly conserved in 1) greater than 81,000 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences identified in 190 countries on six continents; 2) six circulating CoVs that caused previous human outbreaks of the common cold; 3) nine SL-CoVs isolated from bats; 4) nine SL-CoV isolated from pangolins; 5) three SL-CoVs isolated from civet cats; and 6) four MERS strains isolated from camels. Furthermore, the identified epitopes: 1) recalled B cells and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from both COVID-19 patients and healthy individuals who were never exposed to SARS-CoV-2, and 2) induced strong B cell and T cell responses in humanized HLA-DR1/HLA-A*02:01 double-transgenic mice. The findings pave the way to develop a preemptive multiepitope pan-coronavirus vaccine to protect against past, current, and future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Ruchi Srivastava
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Pierre-Gregoire Coulon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Nisha R Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Aziz A Chentoufi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Delia F Tifrea
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Robert A Edwards
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Cesar J Figueroa
- Division of Trauma, Burns, Critical Care, and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Sebastian D Schubl
- Division of Trauma, Burns, Critical Care, and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Lanny Hsieh
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospitalist Program, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Michael J Buchmeier
- Center for Virus Research, Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | | | - Anthony B Nesburn
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Baruch D Kuppermann
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA; .,Center for Virus Research, Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA.,Institute for Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
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4
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Prakash S, Srivastava R, Coulon PG, Dhanushkodi NR, Chentoufi AA, Tifrea DF, Edwards RA, Figueroa CJ, Schubl SD, Hsieh L, Buchmeier MJ, Bouziane M, Nesburn AB, Kuppermann BD, BenMohamed L. Genome-Wide Asymptomatic B-Cell, CD4 + and CD8 + T-Cell Epitopes, that are Highly Conserved Between Human and Animal Coronaviruses, Identified from SARS-CoV-2 as Immune Targets for Pre-Emptive Pan-Coronavirus Vaccines. bioRxiv 2020. [PMID: 33024971 DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.27.316018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Over the last two decades, there have been three deadly human outbreaks of Coronaviruses (CoVs) caused by emerging zoonotic CoVs: SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and the latest highly transmissible and deadly SARS-CoV-2, which has caused the current COVID-19 global pandemic. All three deadly CoVs originated from bats, the natural hosts, and transmitted to humans via various intermediate animal reservoirs. Because there is currently no universal pan-Coronavirus vaccine available, two worst-case scenarios remain highly possible: (1) SARS-CoV-2 mutates and transforms into a seasonal "flu-like" global pandemic; and/or (2) Other global COVID-like pandemics will emerge in the coming years, caused by yet another spillover of an unknown zoonotic bat-derived SARS-like Coronavirus (SL-CoV) into an unvaccinated human population. Determining the antigen and epitope landscapes that are conserved among human and animal Coronaviruses as well as the repertoire, phenotype and function of B cells and CD4 + and CD8 + T cells that correlate with resistance seen in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients should inform in the development of pan-Coronavirus vaccines 1 . In the present study, using several immuno-informatics and sequence alignment approaches, we identified several human B-cell, CD4 + and CD8 + T cell epitopes that are highly conserved in: ( i ) greater than 81,000 SARS-CoV-2 human strains identified to date in 190 countries on six continents; ( ii ) six circulating CoVs that caused previous human outbreaks of the "Common Cold"; ( iii ) five SL-CoVs isolated from bats; ( iv ) five SL-CoV isolated from pangolins; ( v ) three SL-CoVs isolated from Civet Cats; and ( vi ) four MERS strains isolated from camels. Furthermore, we identified cross-reactive asymptomatic epitopes that: ( i ) recalled B cell, CD4 + and CD8 + T cell responses from both asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and healthy individuals who were never exposed to SARS-CoV-2; and ( ii ) induced strong B cell and T cell responses in "humanized" Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-DR/HLA-A*02:01 double transgenic mice. The findings herein pave the way to develop a pre-emptive multi-epitope pan-Coronavirus vaccine to protect against past, current, and potential future outbreaks.
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Prakash S, Roy S, Srivastava R, Coulon PG, Dhanushkodi NR, Vahed H, Jankeel A, Geertsema R, Amezquita C, Nguyen L, Messaoudi I, Burkhardt AM, BenMohamed L. Unique molecular signatures of antiviral memory CD8 + T cells associated with asymptomatic recurrent ocular herpes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13843. [PMID: 32796943 PMCID: PMC7427992 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70673-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The nature of antiviral CD8+ T cells associated with protective and pathogenic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections remains unclear. We compared the transcriptome, phenotype, and function of memory CD8+ T cells, sharing the same HSV-1 epitope-specificities, from infected HLA-A*0201 positive symptomatic (SYMP) vs. asymptomatic (ASYMP) individuals and HLA-A*0201 transgenic rabbits. Compared to higher frequencies of multifunctional effector memory CD8+ TEM cells in ASYMP individuals, the SYMP individuals presented dysfunctional CD8+ TEM cells, expressing major exhaustion pathways. Compared to protected ASYMP HLA transgenic rabbits, the trigeminal ganglia of non-protected SYMP HLA transgenic rabbits had higher frequencies of dysfunctional tissue-resident CD8+ TRM cells. Moreover, blockade of T cell exhaustion pathways restored the function of CD8+ T cells, reduced virus reactivation, and diminished recurrent disease in HLA transgenic rabbits. These findings reveal unique molecular signatures of protective CD8+ T cells and pave the way for T-cell-based immunotherapy to combat recurrent ocular herpes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Soumyabrata Roy
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ruchi Srivastava
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Pierre-Gregoire Coulon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Nisha R Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Hawa Vahed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Allen Jankeel
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Roger Geertsema
- University Laboratory Animal Resources, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Cassandra Amezquita
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Lan Nguyen
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ilhem Messaoudi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Amanda M Burkhardt
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617, USA
- Institute for Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Room 2032; 843 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617, USA.
- Institute for Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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Coulon PG, Dhanushkodi N, Prakash S, Srivastava R, Roy S, Alomari NI, Nguyen AM, Warsi WR, Ye C, Carlos-Cruz EA, Mai UT, Cruel AC, Ekmekciyan KM, Pearlman E, BenMohamed L. NLRP3, NLRP12, and IFI16 Inflammasomes Induction and Caspase-1 Activation Triggered by Virulent HSV-1 Strains Are Associated With Severe Corneal Inflammatory Herpetic Disease. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1631. [PMID: 31367214 PMCID: PMC6644090 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The crosstalk between the host's inflammasome system and the invading virulent/less-virulent viruses determines the outcome of the ensuing inflammatory response. An appropriate activation of inflammasomes triggers antiviral inflammatory responses that clear the virus and heal the inflamed tissue. However, an aberrant activation of inflammasomes can result in a harmful and overwhelming inflammation that could damage the infected tissue. The underlying host's immune mechanisms and the viral virulent factors that impact severe clinical inflammatory disease remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we used herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the causative agent of corneal inflammatory herpetic disease, as a model pathogen to determine: (i) Whether and how the virulence of a virus affects the type and the activation level of the inflammasomes; and (ii) How triggering specific inflammasomes translates into protective or damaging inflammatory response. We showed that, in contrast to the less-virulent HSV-1 strains (RE, F, KOS, and KOS63), corneal infection of B6 mice with the virulent HSV-1 strains (McKrae, 17 or KOS79): (i) Induced simultaneous expression of the NLRP3, NLRP12, and IFI16 inflammasomes; (ii) Increased production of the biologically active Caspase-1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18; (iii) Heightened recruitment into the inflamed cornea of CD45highLy6C+Ly6G-F4/80+CD11b+CD11c- inflammatory monocytes and CD45highCD11b+F4/80-Ly6GhiLy6Cmed neutrophils; and (iv) This intensified inflammatory response was associated with a severe corneal herpetic disease, irrespective of the level of virus replication in the cornea. Similarly, in vitro infection of human corneal epithelial cells and human monocytic THP-1 cells with the virulent HSV-1 strains triggered a synchronized early expression of NLRP3, NLRP12 and IFI16, 2 h post-infection, associated with formation of single and dense specks of the adapter molecule ASC in HSV(+) cells, but not in the neighboring bystander HSV(-) cells. This was associated with increased cleavages of Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18. These findings suggest a previously unappreciated role of viral virulence in a synchronized early induction of the NLRP3, NLRP12, and IFI16 inflammasomes that lead to a damaging inflammatory response. A potential role of common virus virulent factors that stimulate this harmful inflammatory corneal disease is currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Gregoire Coulon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Nisha Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Ruchi Srivastava
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Soumyabrata Roy
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Nuha I. Alomari
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Angela M. Nguyen
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Wasay R. Warsi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Caitlin Ye
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Edgar A. Carlos-Cruz
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Uyen T. Mai
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Audrey C. Cruel
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Keysi M. Ekmekciyan
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Eric Pearlman
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- School of Medicine, Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- School of Medicine, Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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7
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Srivastava R, Roy S, Coulon PG, Vahed H, Prakash S, Dhanushkodi N, Kim GJ, Fouladi MA, Campo J, Teng AA, Liang X, Schaefer H, BenMohamed L. Therapeutic Mucosal Vaccination of Herpes Simplex Virus 2-Infected Guinea Pigs with Ribonucleotide Reductase 2 (RR2) Protein Boosts Antiviral Neutralizing Antibodies and Local Tissue-Resident CD4 + and CD8 + T RM Cells Associated with Protection against Recurrent Genital Herpes. J Virol 2019; 93:e02309-18. [PMID: 30787156 PMCID: PMC6475797 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02309-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactivation of herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) from latency causes viral shedding that develops into recurrent genital lesions. The immune mechanisms of protection against recurrent genital herpes remain to be fully elucidated. In this preclinical study, we investigated the protective therapeutic efficacy, in the guinea pig model of recurrent genital herpes, of subunit vaccine candidates that were based on eight recombinantly expressed HSV-2 envelope and tegument proteins. These viral protein antigens (Ags) were rationally selected for their ability to recall strong CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses from naturally "protected" asymptomatic individuals, who, despite being infected, never develop any recurrent herpetic disease. Out of the eight HSV-2 proteins, the envelope glycoprotein D (gD), the tegument protein VP22 (encoded by the UL49 gene), and ribonucleotide reductase subunit 2 protein (RR2; encoded by the UL40 gene) produced significant protection against recurrent genital herpes. The RR2 protein, delivered either intramuscularly or intravaginally with CpG and alum adjuvants, (i) boosted the highest neutralizing antibodies, which appear to cross-react with both gB and gD, and (ii) enhanced the numbers of functional gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing CRTAM+ CFSE+ CD4+ and CRTAM+ CFSE+ CD8+ TRM cells, which express low levels of PD-1 and TIM-3 exhaustion markers and were localized to healed sites of the vaginal mucocutaneous (VM) tissues. The strong B- and T-cell immunogenicity of the RR2 protein was associated with a significant decrease in virus shedding and a reduction in both the severity and frequency of recurrent genital herpes lesions. In vivo depletion of either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells significantly abrogated the protection. Taken together, these preclinical results provide new insights into the immune mechanisms of protection against recurrent genital herpes and promote the tegument RR2 protein as a viable candidate Ag to be incorporated in future genital herpes therapeutic mucosal vaccines.IMPORTANCE Recurrent genital herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, with a global prevalence of HSV-2 infection predicted to be over 536 million worldwide. Despite the availability of many intervention strategies, such as sexual behavior education, barrier methods, and the costly antiviral drug treatments, eliminating or at least reducing recurrent genital herpes remains a challenge. Currently, no FDA-approved therapeutic vaccines are available. In this preclinical study, we investigated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy, in the guinea pig model of recurrent genital herpes, of subunit vaccine candidates that were based on eight recombinantly expressed herpes envelope and tegument proteins. We discovered that similar to the dl5-29 vaccine, based on a replication-defective HSV-2 mutant virus, which has been recently tested in clinical trials, the RR2 protein-based subunit vaccine elicited a significant reduction in virus shedding and a decrease in both the severity and frequency of recurrent genital herpes sores. This protection correlated with an increase in numbers of functional tissue-resident IFN-γ+ CRTAM+ CFSE+ CD4+ and IFN-γ+ CRTAM+ CFSE+ CD8+ TRM cells that infiltrate healed sites of the vaginal tissues. Our study sheds new light on the role of TRM cells in protection against recurrent genital herpes and promotes the RR2-based subunit therapeutic vaccine to be tested in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Srivastava
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Soumyabrata Roy
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Pierre-Gregoire Coulon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Hawa Vahed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Nisha Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Grace J Kim
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Mona A Fouladi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Joe Campo
- Antigen Discovery Inc., Irvine, California, USA
| | - Andy A Teng
- Antigen Discovery Inc., Irvine, California, USA
| | | | - Hubert Schaefer
- Intracellular Pathogens, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
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