scholarly journals Change in Symptoms and Immune Response in People with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-Cov-2 Infection (PASC) After SARS-Cov-2 Vaccination

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisy Massey ◽  
Athena Akrami ◽  
Gina Assaf ◽  
Hannah Davis ◽  
Karen Harris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Post Vaccination ◽  
Iga Antibodies ◽  
Human Proteins ◽  
Blood Specimens ◽  
Immune Assays

As more people are vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, many of those already infected are still suffering from Post-Acute Sequelae (PASC). Although there is no current treatment for PASC, reports from patients that the vaccine itself improves, and in some reports, worsens, PASC symptoms may lead to a deeper understanding of the causes of PASC symptoms and viable treatments. As such, we are conducting a study that measures the changes in PASC symptoms after vaccination. We are collecting baseline self-report and biospecimens for immune assays and then are following up with participants to collect the same data at 2-weeks, 6-weeks, and 12-weeks post-vaccination (first dose). Immune assays using blood specimens will include B-cell, T-cell, and myeloid cell panels; evaluation of T-cell responsiveness to SARS-CoV-2 peptides and antigen specific response; autoantibody screening (of IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies that attack human proteins); and TCR sequencing and antigen mapping of CD8+ T-cells. Mucosal immunity will be measured using saliva specimens. The study aims to provide answers for people with PASC, especially regarding the causes of their symptoms and how the vaccine may affect them, and clues for PASC treatment.

188 Novel Anti-SIRpalpha antibodies with differentiated characteristics as promising cancer therapeutics

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A202-A202
Author(s):  
Swati Jalgaonkar ◽  
George Huang ◽  
Erin Filbert ◽  
Christine Tan ◽  
Ryan Alvarado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Tumor Immunity ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Cancer Therapeutics ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
Therapeutic Window ◽  
Close Relative ◽  
Cell Functions ◽  
Tumor Clearance

BackgroundTherapeutically targeting tumor myeloid cells has emerged as a novel and complementary strategy to existing cancer immunotherapy approaches. The interaction of tumor expressed CD47 with SIRP alpha (signal regulatory protein-alphaa, SIRPA) on macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils inhibits key immune effector mechanisms. Targeting SIRPa-CD47 represents a novel approach to enhance anti-tumor immunity by augmenting or reactivating critical tumor clearance mechanisms.H5F9, an antibody against CD47, has shown promising therapeutic activities in patients with MSD, AML and NHL. However, agents targeting CD47 present hematological toxicities and present a huge antigen sink leading to not achieving an optimum therapeutic window. Our approach is to target SIRP alpha, the receptor of CD47 and focus therapeutic targeting to relevant mechanisms related to phagocytosis and myeloid cell activation and at the same time avoid undesired effects of blocking CD47. SIRP gamma, a very close relative of SIRP alpha is expressed on T cells and also binds to CD47. It has been shown that blockade of SIRP gamma-CD47 interaction inhibits T cell proliferation and blocks trans-endothelial T cell migration. Hence, our aim is to generate SIRP alpha selective antibodies that do not cross-react with SIRP gamma and have minimal impact on T cell functions.MethodsUsing Apexigen’s APXiMAB™ proprietary antibody discovery platform, we have generated two novel anti-SIRP alpha antibodies (APX701 & APX702) with differentiated properties as compared to other approaches targeting the CD47/SIRP alpha axis. We have used ELISA, FACS based cell binding and blocking assays, and functional assays including in vitro phagocytosis and antibody-dependent cell phagocytosis (ADCP) in combination with tumor-opsonizing antibody to select APX701 & APX702.ResultsOur novel preclinical-stage APX701 & APX702 antibodies have demonstrated the following attributes: high binding affinity to human SIRP alpha (APX701 Kd = 0.95nM, APX702 Kd = 0.88nM), no binding to SIRP gamma, efficient blockade of SIRP alpha binding to CD47(APX701 IC50 = 1.04nM, APX702 IC50 = 0.80nM), potent macrophage mediated phagocytosis, enhancement of ADCP mediated by tumor-opsonizing antibody and favorable developability CMC profiles. In comparison with the benchmark antibody OSE-172, APX701 & APX702 showed potent phagocytosis activity and ADCP enhancement in all donors tested while OSE-172 induced phagocytosis in only 50% of the donors. This may result from the fact that APX701 and APX702 bind to all major SIRP alpha variants (V1, V2 & V8; covering ~92% population) while OSE 172 only binds to SIRPalpha V1 (~50% population).ConclusionsAPX701 and APX702 demonstrate differentiated anti-SIRPalpha activities by enhancing myeloid cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity and reactivating critical tumor clearance mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment.

scholarly journals AB0037 EXPRESSION OF NEGATIVE CHECKPOINT MOLECULES BTLA AND HVEM IS DYSREGULATED IN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1321.1-1321
Author(s):  
S. Nagpal ◽  
S. Cole ◽  
A. Floudas ◽  
M. Wechalekar ◽  
Q. Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
B Cells ◽  
Autoimmune Disease ◽  
Autoimmune Diseases ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Research Support

Background:Immune checkpoint blockade with agents targeting CTLA4 and PD-1/PD-L1 alone or in combination has demonstrated exceptional efficacy in multiple cancer types by “unleashing” the cytotoxic action of quiescent, tumor-infiltrating T cells. However, the therapeutic action of these immunotherapies goes hand in hand with the loss of immune tolerance and appearance of immune-related adverse events such as colitis, arthralgia and inflammatory arthritis in responsive patients. Therefore, immune checkpoint molecules have been proposed as targets for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.Objectives:Herein, we interrogate the potential of BTLA/HVEM axis as a target for restoring immune homeostasis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Sjogren’s Syndrome (SjS) by examining their expression patterns in autoimmune disease tissues.Methods:Message and protein expression of BTLA and HVEM were examined in RA and SLE synovial tissues, SLE cutaneous lesions, SjS salivary glands and peripheral blood samples of autoimmune disease by RNA sequencing and flow cytometry.Results:Tissue dysregulation of the BTLA-HVEM axis was observed: Increased BTLA RNA level in RA synovium, SLE-affected skin, and SjS salivary gland samples, whereas HVEM level was affected only in the RA synovium when compared to unaffected tissues. Detailed immunophenotyping of B, T, and myeloid cell populations in RA, SLE, SjS and healthy control PBMCs revealed differential modulation of the BTLA+ or HVEM+ immune cell subsets in a disease-context dependent manner. SjS patients showed an overall decrease in memory B cells and most of the BTLA+ B cell subsets while a decrease in HVEM+ B cells was observed only in SLE PBMC samples and not RA and SLE samples. Immunophenotyping with a T cell panel exhibited decreased BTLA and HVEM expression on T cell subsets in SjS and SLE but not in RA patients. In addition, protein levels of HVEM were differentially decreased in SLE myeloid cell subsets. Finally, we demonstrate tissue-specific surface expression patterns of BTLA in RA and SLE samples: higher surface BTLA levels on RA and SLE PBMC B cells than matched tissue-derived B cells.Conclusion:Our results demonstrate a dysregulation of the BTLA/HVEM axis in either lesional tissue or peripheral blood in an autoimmune disease context-dependent manner. These results also indicate the potential of targeting BTLA-HVEM axis for the treatment of multiple autoimmune diseases.Disclosure of Interests:Sunil Nagpal Shareholder of: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Employee of: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Suzanne Cole Shareholder of: Janssen Research & Development employee, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development employee, Achilleas Floudas: None declared, Mihir Wechalekar Grant/research support from: Grant from Janssen Research & Development, Qingxuan Song Shareholder of: Employee of Janssen Research, Employee of: Employee of Janssen Research, Tom Gordon: None declared, Roberto Caricchio Grant/research support from: Financial grant from Janssen Research & Development, Douglas Veale: None declared, Ursula Fearon: None declared, Navin Rao Shareholder of: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Employee of: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Ling-Yang Hao Shareholder of: Employee of Janssen Research, Employee of: Employee of Janssen Research

501 VISTA regulates the differentiation and suppressive function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A536-A536
Author(s):  
Juan Dong ◽  
Cassandra Gilmore ◽  
Hieu Ta ◽  
Keman Zhang ◽  
Sarah Stone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Suppressor Cells ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells ◽  
Checkpoint Protein ◽  
Suppressive Function

BackgroundV-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a B7 family inhibitory immune checkpoint protein and is highly expressed on myeloid cells and T cells.1 VISTA acts as both an inhibitory ligand when expressed on antigen-presenting cells and a receptor when expressed on T cells. Our recent study has shown that VISTA is a myeloid cell-specific immune checkpoint and that blocking VISTA can reprogram suppressive myeloid cells and promote a T cell-stimulatory tumor microenvironment.2 In this study, we further demonstrate that VISTA blockade directly alters the differentiation and the suppressive function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC).MethodsFlow cytometry was performed to examine VISTA expression on MDSCs in multiple murine tumor models including the B16BL6 melanoma model, MC38 colon cancer model, and the KPC pancreatic cancer models. To examine the role of VISTA in controlling the differentiation and suppressive function of MDSCs, we cultured wild type (WT) and VISTA.KO bone marrow progenitor cells with GM-CSF and IL-6 to induce BM -derived MDSCs.ResultsOur preliminary results show that VISTA is highly expressed on M-MDSCs in B16BL6, MC38 and KPC tumors. In BM-derived MDSCs, VISTA deletion significantly altered the signaling pathways and the differentiation of MDSCs. Multiple inflammatory signaling pathways were downregulated in VISTA KO MDSCs, resulting in decreased production of cytokines such as IL1 and chemokines such as CCL2/4/9, as well as significantly impaired their ability to suppress the activation of CD8+ T cells. The loss of suppressive function in VISTA KO MDSCs is correlated with significantly reduced expression of iNOS. To validate the results from BM-MDSCs, we sorted CD11b+CD11c-Ly6C+Ly6G- M-MDSCs and CD11b+CD11c-Ly6G+ G-MDSCs from B16BL6 tumor tissues and tested the ability of a VISTA-blocking mAb to reverse the suppressive effects of tumor-derived MDSCs. Our results show that blocking VISTA impaired the suppressive function of tumor-derived M-MDSC but not G-MDSCs.ConclusionsTaken together, these results demonstrate a crucial role of VISTA in regulating the differentiation and function of MDSCs, and that blocking VISTA abolishes MDSC-mediated T cell suppression, thereby boosting.Ethics ApprovalAll in vivo studies were reviewed and approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (Approval number 2019-2142).ReferencesXu W, Hire T, Malarkannan, S. et al. The structure, expression, and multifaceted role of immune-checkpoint protein VISTA as a critical regulator of anti-tumor immunity, autoimmunity, and inflammation. Cell Mol Immunol 2018;15:438–446.Xu W, Dong J, Zheng Y, et al. Immune-checkpoint protein VISTA regulates antitumor immunity by controlling myeloid cell-mediated inflammation and immunosuppression. Cancer Immunol Res 2019;7:1497–510.

scholarly journals A genetically stable Zika virus vaccine candidate protects mice against virus infection and vertical transmission

npj Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Awadalkareem Adam ◽  
Camila R. Fontes-Garfias ◽  
Vanessa V. Sarathy ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Huanle Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Type I ◽  
Post Vaccination ◽  
Vaccine Trials ◽  
Specific Memory ◽  
Cell Immunity ◽  
Cell Antibody ◽  
And Control

AbstractAlthough live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) have been effective in the control of flavivirus infections, to date they have been excluded from Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine trials due to safety concerns. We have previously reported two ZIKV mutants, each of which has a single substitution in either envelope (E) glycosylation or nonstructural (NS) 4B P36 and displays a modest reduction in mouse neurovirulence and neuroinvasiveness, respectively. Here, we generated a ZIKV mutant, ZE4B-36, which combines mutations in both E glycosylation and NS4B P36. The ZE4B-36 mutant is stable and attenuated in viral replication. Next-generation sequence analysis showed that the attenuating mutations in the E and NS4B proteins are retained during serial cell culture passages. The mutant exhibits a significant reduction in neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence and low infectivity in mosquitoes. It induces robust ZIKV-specific memory B cell, antibody, and T cell-mediated immune responses in type I interferon receptor (IFNR) deficient mice. ZIKV-specific T cell immunity remains strong months post-vaccination in wild-type C57BL/6 (B6) mice. Vaccination with ZE4B-36 protects mice from ZIKV-induced diseases and vertical transmission. Our results suggest that combination mutations in E glycosylation and NS4B P36 contribute to a candidate LAV with significantly increased safety but retain strong immunogenicity for prevention and control of ZIKV infection.

scholarly journals Quantitative analysis of the CD8 + T–cell response to readily eliminated and persistent viruses

2000 ◽  
Vol 355 (1400) ◽  
pp. 1093-1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Doherty ◽  
J. M. Riberdy ◽  
G. T. Belz
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Flow Cytometric Analysis ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Basic Question ◽  
Cell Mediated Immunity ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Turnover Rates

The recent development of techniques for the direct staining of peptide–specific CD8 + T cells has revolutionized the analysis of cell–mediated immunity (CMI) in virus infections. This approach has been used to quantify the acute and long–term consequences of infecting laboratory mice with the readily eliminated influenza A viruses (fluA) and a persistent γherpesvirus (γHV). It is now, for the first time, possible to work with real numbers in the analysis of CD8 + T CMI, and to define various characteristics of the responding lymphocytes both by direct flow cytometric analysis and by sorting for further in vitro manipulation. Relatively little has yet been done from the latter aspect, though we are rapidly accumulating a mass of numerical data. The acute, antigen–driven phases of the fluA and γHV–specific response look rather similar, but CD8 + T–cell numbers are maintained in the long term at a higher ‘set point’ in the persistent infection. Similarly, these ‘memory’ T cells continue to divide at a much greater rate in the γHV–infected mice. New insights have also been generated on the nature of the recall response following secondary challenge in both experimental systems, and the extent of protection conferred by large numbers of virus–specific CD8 + T cells has been determined. However, there are still many parameters that have received little attention, partly because they are difficult to measure. These include the rate of antigen–specific CD8 + T–cell loss, the extent of the lymphocyte ‘diaspora’ to other tissues, and the diversity of functional characteristics, turnover rates, clonal life spans and recirculation profiles. The basic question for immunologists remains how we reconcile the extraordinary plasticity of the immune system with the mechanisms that maintain a stable milieu interieur. This new capacity to quantify CD8 + T–cell responses in readily manipulated mouse models has obvious potential for illuminating homeostatic control, particularly if the experimental approaches to the problem are designed in the context of appropriate predictive models.

scholarly journals Innate cell microenvironments in lymph nodes shape the generation of T cell responses during type I inflammation

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (56) ◽  
pp. eabb9435
Author(s):  
Joseph M. Leal ◽  
Jessica Y. Huang ◽  
Karan Kohli ◽  
Caleb Stoltzfus ◽  
Miranda R. Lyons-Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Type I ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Inflammatory Monocytes ◽  
Cell Effector

Microanatomical organization of innate immune cells within lymph nodes (LNs) is critical for the generation of adaptive responses. In particular, steady-state LN-resident dendritic cells (Res cDCs) are strategically localized to intercept lymph-draining antigens. Whether myeloid cell organization changes during inflammation and how that might affect the generation of immune responses are unknown. Here, we report that during type I, but not type II, inflammation after adjuvant immunization or viral infection, antigen-presenting Res cDCs undergo CCR7-dependent intranodal repositioning from the LN periphery into the T cell zone (TZ) to elicit T cell priming. Concurrently, inflammatory monocytes infiltrate the LNs via local blood vessels, enter the TZ, and cooperate with Res cDCs by providing polarizing cytokines to optimize T cell effector differentiation. Monocyte infiltration is nonuniform across LNs, generating distinct microenvironments with varied local innate cell composition. These spatial microdomains are associated with divergent early T cell effector programming, indicating that innate microenvironments within LNs play a critical role in regulating the quality and heterogeneity of T cell responses. Together, our findings reveal that dynamic modulation of innate cell microenvironments during type I inflammation leads to optimized generation of adaptive immune responses to vaccines and infections.

scholarly journals The Mucosal Vaccine Adjuvant LT(R192G/L211A) or dmLT

mSphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
John D. Clements ◽  
Elizabeth B. Norton
Keyword(s):  
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Mucosal Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Adjuvant ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Preclinical Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Clinical Investigations ◽  
Iga Antibodies

ABSTRACTPerhaps the best-studied mucosal adjuvants are the bacterially derived ADP-ribosylating enterotoxins. This adjuvant family includes heat-labile enterotoxin ofEscherichia coli(LT), cholera toxin (CT), and mutants or subunits of LT and CT. These proteins promote a multifaceted antigen-specific response, including inflammatory Th1, Th2, Th17, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and antibodies. However, more uniquely among adjuvant classes, they induce antigen-specific IgA antibodies and long-lasting memory to coadministered antigens when delivered mucosally or even parenterally. The purpose of this minireview is to describe the general properties, history and creation, preclinical studies, clinical studies, mechanisms of action, and considerations for use of the most promising enterotoxin-based adjuvant to date, LT(R192G/L211A) or dmLT. This review is timely due to completed, ongoing, and planned clinical investigations of dmLT in multiple vaccine formulations by government, nonprofit, and industry groups in the United States and abroad.

scholarly journals Divergent molecular phenotypes of KG1 and KG1a myeloid cell lines

Blood ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1101-1107 ◽  
Author(s):  
AJ Furley ◽  
BR Reeves ◽  
S Mizutani ◽  
LJ Altass ◽  
SM Watt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
High Level Expression ◽  
Igh Genes ◽  
T Cell Receptor Beta ◽  
Molecular Phenotypes ◽  
High Level ◽  
Receptor Beta

The cell line KG1 derived from a patient with erythroleukemia in myeloblastic relapse has the composite phenotype and functional repertoire of myeloblasts. In marked contrast, its subline KG1a has lost myeloid features, acquired new karyotypic markers, and has three characteristics associated with immature T cells: low-level expression of the T cell receptor beta mRNA (but not alpha) transcribed from a germline gene; high-level expression of T3 delta mRNA and intracellular, but not cell surface, T3 protein; and expression of the CD7/gp40 T cell-associated membrane antigen. Both KG1 and KG1a transcribe unrearranged IgH genes. These data suggest that either the KG1 cell line was derived from a common myeloid-lymphoid progenitor or that the KG1a subline phenotype is aberrant.

scholarly journals Probing T-cell response by sequence-based probabilistic modeling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Bravi ◽  
Vinod P. Balachandran ◽  
Benjamin D. Greenbaum ◽  
Aleksandra M. Walczak ◽  
Thierry Mora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Probabilistic Models ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Sequence Motifs ◽  
Antigen Specificity ◽  
Human T Cell ◽  
Machine Learning Approach ◽  
Tcr Repertoire

AbstractWith the increasing ability to use high-throughput next-generation sequencing to quantify the diversity of the human T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, the ability to use TCR sequences to infer antigen-specificity could greatly aid potential diagnostics and therapeutics. Here, we use a machine-learning approach known as Restricted Boltzmann Machine to develop a sequence-based inference approach to identify antigen-specific TCRs. Our approach combines probabilistic models of TCR sequences with clone abundance information to extract TCR sequence motifs central to an antigen-specific response. We use this model to identify patient personalized TCR motifs that respond to individual tumor and infectious disease antigens, and to accurately discriminate specific from non-specific responses. Furthermore, the hidden structure of the model results in an interpretable representation space where TCRs responding to the same antigen cluster, correctly discriminating the response of TCR to different viral epitopes. The model can therefore be used to identify both experimental and condition specific responding TCRs, of great importance to advancing personalized immunotherapies.

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