scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in infection and vaccination

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 2307-2312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Bertoletti ◽  
Nina Le Bert ◽  
Martin Qui ◽  
Anthony T. Tan

AbstractDuring viral infections, antibodies and T cells act together to prevent pathogen spread and remove virus-infected cells. Virus-specific adaptive immunity can, however, also trigger pathological processes characterized by localized or systemic inflammatory events. The protective and/or pathological role of virus-specific T cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection has been the focus of many studies in COVID-19 patients and in vaccinated individuals. Here, we review the works that have elucidated the function of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in patients and in vaccinated individuals. Understanding whether SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells are more linked to protection or pathogenesis is pivotal to define future therapeutic and prophylactic strategies to manage the current pandemic.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg von Massow ◽  
Steve Oh ◽  
Alan Lam ◽  
Kenth Gustafsson

The global outbreak of the SARS-Cov-2 virus in 2020 has killed millions of people worldwide and forced large parts of the world into lockdowns. While multiple vaccine programs are starting to immunize the global population, there is no direct cure for COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-Cov-2 infection. A common symptom in patients is a decrease in T cells, called lymphopenia. It is as of yet unclear what the exact role of T cells are in the immune response to COVID-19. The research so far has mainly focused on the involvement of classical αβ T cells. However, another subset of T cells called γδ T cells could have an important role to play. As part of the innate immune system, γδ T cells respond to inflammation and stressed or infected cells. The γδ T cell subset appears to be particularly affected by lymphopenia in COVID-19 patients and commonly express activation and exhaustion markers. Particularly in children, this subset of T cells seems to be most affected. This is interesting and relevant because γδ T cells are more prominent and active in early life. Their specific involvement in this group of patients could indicate a significant role for γδ T cells in this disease. Furthermore, they seem to be involved in other viral infections and were able to kill SARS infected cells in vitro. γδ T cells can take up, process and present antigens from microbes and human cells. As e.g. tumour-associated antigens are presented by MHC on γδ T cells to classical T-cells, we argue here that it stands to reason that also viral antigens, such as SARS-Cov-2-derived peptides, can be presented in the same way. γδ T cells are already used for medical purposes in oncology and have potential in cancer therapy. As γδ T cells are not necessarily able to distinguish between a transformed and a virally infected cell it could therefore be of great interest to investigate further the relationship between COVID-19 and γδ T cells.


Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1051
Author(s):  
Huiming Cai ◽  
Ge Liu ◽  
Jianfeng Zhong ◽  
Kai Zheng ◽  
Haitao Xiao ◽  
...  

As evidence has mounted that virus-infected cells, such as cancer cells, negatively regulate the function of T-cells via immune checkpoints, it has become increasingly clear that viral infections similarly exploit immune checkpoints as an immune system escape mechanism. Although immune checkpoint therapy has been successfully used in cancer treatment, numerous studies have suggested that such therapy may also be highly relevant for treating viral infection, especially chronic viral infections. However, it has not yet been applied in this manner. Here, we reviewed recent findings regarding immune checkpoints in viral infections, including COVID-19, and discussed the role of immune checkpoints in different viral infections, as well as the potential for applying immune checkpoint blockades as antiviral therapy.


2008 ◽  
Vol 205 (8) ◽  
pp. 1929-1938 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Muñoz-Fontela ◽  
Salvador Macip ◽  
Luis Martínez-Sobrido ◽  
Lauren Brown ◽  
Joseph Ashour ◽  
...  

Tumor suppressor p53 is activated by several stimuli, including DNA damage and oncogenic stress. Previous studies (Takaoka, A., S. Hayakawa, H. Yanai, D. Stoiber, H. Negishi, H. Kikuchi, S. Sasaki, K. Imai, T. Shibue, K. Honda, and T. Taniguchi. 2003. Nature. 424:516–523) have shown that p53 is also induced in response to viral infections as a downstream transcriptional target of type I interferon (IFN) signaling. Moreover, many viruses, including SV40, human papillomavirus, Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus, adenoviruses, and even RNA viruses such as polioviruses, have evolved mechanisms designated to abrogate p53 responses. We describe a novel p53 function in the activation of the IFN pathway. We observed that infected mouse and human cells with functional p53 exhibited markedly decreased viral replication early after infection. This early inhibition of viral replication was mediated both in vitro and in vivo by a p53-dependent enhancement of IFN signaling, specifically the induction of genes containing IFN-stimulated response elements. Of note, p53 also contributed to an increase in IFN release from infected cells. We established that this p53-dependent enhancement of IFN signaling is dependent to a great extent on the ability of p53 to activate the transcription of IFN regulatory factor 9, a central component of the IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 complex. Our results demonstrate that p53 contributes to innate immunity by enhancing IFN-dependent antiviral activity independent of its functions as a proapoptotic and tumor suppressor gene.


1979 ◽  
Vol 149 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
P C Doherty ◽  
J C Bennink

BALB/c (H-2Kd-Dd) spleen and lymph node populations were specifically depleted of alloreactive potential by filtration through H-2 different, irradiated recipients. These negatively selected T cells were then stimulated with vaccinia virus in mice expressing the foreign H-2 determinants encountered previously in the filter environment. Strong virus-immune cytotoxic T-cell responses were seen in the context of H-2Kk and H-2Ks, but not 2H-2Kb. The T cells generated were not cross-reactive for the H-2Kk and H-2Kd alleles, and responsiveness was independent of concurrent presence of effector populations operating at H-2D. These findings are consisent with the idea that recognition is mediated via a complex receptor, part of which is specific for virus and part for self H-2. The capacity to interact with allogeneic, virus-infected cells may then reflect aberrant recognition of a virus-H-2-antigen complex by this single, large binding site. For instance, the T cell which would normally recognize H-2Kd-virus x, or H-2Dd-minor histocompatibility antigen Z, may now show specificity for H-2Kk-vaccinia virus. Implications for both the selective role of the thymus and for mechanisms of tolerance are discussed.


Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Pardy ◽  
Martin J. Richer

CD4 and CD8 T cells are an important part of the host’s capacity to defend itself against viral infections. During flavivirus infections, T cells have been implicated in both protective and pathogenic responses. Given the recent emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) as a prominent global health threat, the question remains as to how T cells contribute to anti-ZIKV immunity. Furthermore, high homology between ZIKV and other, co-circulating flaviviruses opens the possibility of positive or negative effects of cross-reactivity due to pre-existing immunity. In this review, we will discuss the CD4 and CD8 T cell responses to ZIKV, and the lessons we have learned from both mouse and human infections. In addition, we will consider the possibility of whether T cells, in the context of flavivirus-naïve and flavivirus-immune subjects, play a role in promoting ZIKV pathogenesis during infection.


Metabolites ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 356 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Balgoma ◽  
Luis Gil-de-Gómez ◽  
Olimpio Montero

The pathogenic mechanisms underlying the Biology and Biochemistry of viral infections are known to depend on the lipid metabolism of infected cells. From a lipidomics viewpoint, there are a variety of mechanisms involving virus infection that encompass virus entry, the disturbance of host cell lipid metabolism, and the role played by diverse lipids in regard to the infection effectiveness. All these aspects have currently been tackled separately as independent issues and focused on the function of proteins. Here, we review the role of cholesterol and other lipids in ssRNA+ infection.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (20) ◽  
pp. 11246-11257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan G. Laniewski ◽  
Jason M. Grayson

ABSTRACT During many viral infections, antigen-specific CD8+ T cells undergo large-scale expansion. After viral clearance, the vast majority of effector CD8+ T cells undergo apoptosis. Previous studies have implicated reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) in lymphocyte apoptosis. The purpose of the experiments presented here was to determine the role of ROI in the expansion and contraction of CD8+ T cells in vivo during a physiological response such as viral infection. Mice were infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and treated with Mn(III)tetrakis(4-benzoic acid)porphyrin chloride (MnTBAP), a metalloporphyrin-mimetic compound with superoxide dismutase activity, from days 0 to 8 postinfection. At the peak of CD8+-T-cell response, on day 8 postinfection, the numbers of antigen-specific cells were 10-fold lower in MnTBAP-treated mice than in control mice. From days 8 to 30, a contraction phase ensued where the numbers of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells declined 25-fold in vehicle-treated mice compared to a 3.5-fold decrease in MnTBAP-treated mice. Differences in contraction appeared to be due to greater proliferation in drug-treated mice. By day 38, the numbers of antigen-specific CD8+ memory T cells were equivalent for the two groups. The administration of MnTBAP during secondary viral infection had no effect on the expansion of antigen-specific CD8+ secondary effector T cells. These data suggest that ROI production is critical for the massive expansion and contraction of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells during primary, but not secondary, viral infection.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawei Zhou ◽  
Jun-Gyu Park ◽  
Zhenyu Wu ◽  
Huachao Huang ◽  
Guillaume N Fiches ◽  
...  

FACT (FAcilitates Chromatin Transcription) is a heterodimeric protein complex composed of SUPT16H and SSRP1, and a histone chaperone participating in chromatin remodeling during gene transcription. FACT complex is profoundly regulated, and contributes to both gene activation and suppression. Here we reported that SUPT16H, a subunit of FACT, is acetylated at lysine 674 (K674) of middle domain (MD), which involves TIP60 histone acetyltransferase. Such acetylation of SUPT16H is recognized by bromodomain protein BRD4, which promotes protein stability of SUPT16H. We further demonstrated that SUPT16H-BRD4 associates with histone modification enzymes (EZH2, HDAC1) and affects histone marks (H3K9me3, H3K27me3 and H3ac). BRD4 is known to profoundly regulate interferon (IFN) signaling, while such function of SUPT16H has never been explored. Surprisingly, our results revealed that SUPT16H genetic knockdown via RNAi or pharmacological inhibition by using its inhibitor, curaxin 137 (CBL0137), results in the induction of IFNs and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Through this mechanism, CBL0137 is shown to efficiently inhibit infection of multiple viruses, including Zika, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CBL0137 also causes the remarkable activation of IFN signaling in natural killer (NK) cells, which promotes the NK-mediated killing of virus-infected cells in a co-culture system using human primary NK cells. Overall, our studies unraveled the previously un-appreciated role of FACT complex in regulating IFN signaling in both epithelial and NK cells, and also proposed the novel application of CBL0137 to treat viral infections.


Author(s):  
Moritz Anft ◽  
Krystallenia Paniskaki ◽  
Arturo Blazquez-Navarro ◽  
Adrian Doevelaar ◽  
Felix S. Seibert ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundThe efficacy of the humoral and cellular immunity determines the outcome of viral infections. An appropriate immune response mediates protection, whereas an overwhelming immune response has been associated with immune-mediated pathogenesis in viral infections. The current study explored the general and SARS-CoV-2 specific cellular and humoral immune status in patients with different COVID-19 severities.MethodsIn this prospective study, we included 53 patients with moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 manifestations comparing their quantitative, phenotypic, and functional characteristics of circulating immune cells, SARS-CoV-2 antigen specific T-cells, and humoral immunity.ResultsSignificantly diminished frequencies of CD8+T-cells, CD4+ and CD8+T-cell subsets with activated differentiated memory/effector phenotype and migratory capacity were found in circulation in patients with severe and/or critical COVID-19 as compared to patients with moderate disease. Importantly, the improvement of the clinical courses from severe to moderate was accompanied by an improvement in the T-cell subset alterations. Furthermore, we surprisingly observed a detectable SARS-CoV-2-reactive T-cell response in all three groups after stimulation with SARS-CoV-2 S-protein overlapping peptide pool already at the first visit. Of note, patients with a critical COVID-19 demonstrated a stronger response of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T-cells producing Th1 associated inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, clear correlation between antibody titers and SARS-CoV-2-reactive CD4+ frequencies underscore the role of specific immunity in disease progression.ConclusionOur data demonstrate that depletion of activated memory phenotype circulating T-cells and a strong SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular and humoral immunity are associated with COVID-19 disease severity. This counter-intuitive finding may have important implications for diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic COVID-19 management.


Author(s):  
Maxime Breban ◽  
Hill Gaston

The role of adaptive immunity (i.e. the involvement of B and T lymphocytes) in the pathogenesis of axial spondyloarthritis has been investigated in both human disease and relevant animal models. Studies of B cell responses have not generally implicated an autoantibody in the disease, but there are abnormalities of antibody responses, particularly increased titres of antibodies to various gut bacteria. T cells are critical to the disease in animal models other than those where overexpression of a cytokine is engineered, suggesting that they are the drivers of the inflammatory response. There is convergent evidence from animal models, genetics in humans, and direct observation of human peripheral blood and joints to implicate T cells producing IL-17 under the influence of IL-23. These in turn may be responding to bacteria either in the gut or on the skin.


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