Combined HDAC and BET inhibition to enhance cancer vaccine-elicited T-cell responses.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e14632-e14632
Author(s):  
Alexander Badamchi-Zadeh ◽  
Kelly Dare Moynihan ◽  
Nicholas M Provine ◽  
Rafael Larocca ◽  
Darrell J Irvine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Boost Vaccination ◽  
Immunological Mechanisms ◽  
Ifn Γ

e14632 Background: The combined inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDAC) and the proteins of the bromo and extra terminal (BET) family have recently shown therapeutic efficacy against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, melanoma and lymphoma cancers in murine studies. However, in these studies the role of the immune system in therapeutically controlling these cancers was not explored. Methods: We sought to investigate the effect of the HDAC inhibitor romidepsin (RMD) and the BET inhibitor I-BET151, both singly and in combination, on vaccine elicited immune responses. C57Bl/6 mice were immunized with differing vaccines (Adenoviral, protein) in prime-boost regimens, under treatment with RMD, I-BET151, or RMD+I-BET151. Results: The combination RMD+I-BET151, administered during Adenoviral prime-boost vaccination, resulted in the significant increase in the frequency and number of antigen-specific CD8 T cells. RMD+I-BET151 treatment affected vaccine-elicited secondary T cell responses, significantly increasing the frequency of IFN-γ+ splenic CD8 T cells and maintaining their dual IFN-γ+TNFa+ polyfunctionality. These CD8 T cells maintained their protective ability against Listeria monocytogenes, and protected against B16-OVA challenge. The significant augmentation of vaccine elicited CD8 T cell responses under RMD+I-BET151 treatment was additionally observed following protein (OVA+CpG) prime-boost vaccination, resulting in greater protection against B16-OVA challenge and enhanced survival. T-regulatory cell (FoxP3+CD4+) frequency and total CD4 and CD8 cell numbers remained unaltered following RMD+I-BET151 treatment. Conclusions: Combined HDAC and BET inhibition resulted in greater vaccine-elicited CD8 T cell responses following immunization by multiple vaccine platforms, and enhanced protection against B16-OVA challenges. We are currently assessing immunological mechanisms of action for this combined HDAC and BET inhibition.

Ex-Vivo Characterization of Polyclonal Memory CD8+ T-Cell Responses to PRAME-Specific Peptides in Patients with Acute Leukemia and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 2910-2910
Author(s):  
Katayoun Rezvani ◽  
Agnes S. M. Yong ◽  
Abdul Tawab ◽  
Behnam Jafarpour ◽  
Rhoda Eniafe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
High Avidity ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Ifn Γ

Abstract PRAME (Preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma) is aberrantly expressed in hematological malignancies and may be a useful target for immunotherapy in leukemia. We studied CD8+ T-cell responses to four HLA-A*0201-restricted PRAME-derived epitopes (PRA100, PRA142, PRA300, PRA425) in HLA-A*0201-positive patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and healthy donors, using PRA300/HLA-A*0201 tetramer staining, intracellular cytokine (IC) assay and ex-vivo and cultured ELISPOT analysis. CD8+ T-cells recognizing PRAME peptides were detected directly ex-vivo in 4/10 ALL, 6/10 AML, 3/10 CML patients and 3/10 donors. The frequency of PRAME-specific CD8+ T-cells was greater in patients with AML, CML and ALL than in healthy controls. All peptides were immunogenic in patients, whilst PRA300 was the only immunogenic peptide in donors. High PRAME expression in patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells was associated with responses to two or more PRAME epitopes (4/7 vs. 0/23 in individuals with low PRAME expression, P = 0.001), suggesting a PRAME-driven T-cell response. In 2 patients studied PRA300/HLA-A*0201+ CD8+T-cells were found to be a mixture of effector and central memory phenotypes. To determine the functional avidity of the PRAME T-cell response, the response of CD8+ T-cells to stimulation with 2 concentrations of peptide was measured by IC-IFN-γ staining. High-avidity CD8+ T-cells were defined as those capable of producing IFN-γ in response to the lower concentration of peptide (0.1μM), while low-avidity CD8+ T-cells were those that only produced IFN-γ in response to the higher concentration of peptide (10 μM). Both high and low-avidity CD8+ T-cell responses could be detected for all peptides tested (median 1.05, 0.90, 0.52, 0.40 high/lowavidity ratios for PRA100, PRA142, PRA300 and PRA425 respectively). In patients with high PRAME expression (>0.001 PRAME/ABL) low-avidity CD8+ T-cell responses to PRAME peptides were more prominent than high-avidity responses, suggesting selective deletion of high-avidity T-cells. In contrast, in some patients with levels <0.001 PRAME/ABL, we could detect the presence of high-avidity CD8+ T-cell responses to PRAME. PRAME-specific CD8+ T-cells were further characterized by IC staining for IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 production and CD107a mobilization (as a marker of cytotoxicity). Following stimulation with the relevant PRAME peptide, there was no significant production of IL-2, IL-4 or IL-10, suggesting a Tc1 effector response but no significant CD107a mobilization was detected despite significant CD107a mobilization in the same patient in response to CMVpp65495. This finding suggests that patients with leukemia have a selective functional impairment of PRAME-specific CD8+ T-cells, consistent with PRAME-specific T cell exhaustion. However, PRAME-specific T-cells were readily expanded in the presence of cytokines in short-term cultures in-vitro to produce IFN-γ, suggesting that it may be possible to improve the functional capacity of PRAME-specific T-cells for therapeutic purposes. These results provide evidence for spontaneous T-cell reactivity against multiple epitopes of PRAME in ALL, AML and CML and support the usefulness of PRAME as a target for immunotherapy in leukemia. The predominance of low-avidity PRAME-specific CD8+ T-cells suggests that achievement of a state of minimal residual disease may be required prior to peptide vaccination to augment T-cell immune surveillance.

The Response to Repeated Vaccination with PR1 and WT1 Peptides Admixed in Montanide Adjuvant Is Transient and Fails to Induce Sustained Anti-Leukemia Responses in Patients with Myeloid Malignancies.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 4096-4096
Author(s):  
Katayoun Rezvani ◽  
Agnes S. M. Yong ◽  
Stephan Mielke ◽  
Behnam Jafarpour ◽  
Bipin N. Savani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Cell Response ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Gm Csf ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Ifn Γ

Abstract Abstract 4096 Poster Board III-1031 We previously demonstrated the immunogenicity of a combined vaccine approach employing two leukemia-associated antigenic peptides, PR1 and WT1 (Rezvani Blood 2008). Eight patients with myeloid malignancies received one subcutaneous 0.3 mg and 0.5 mg dose each of PR1 and WT1 vaccines in Montanide adjuvant, with 100 μg of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). CD8+ T-cell responses against PR1 or WT1 were detected in all patients as early as 1 week post-vaccination. However, responses were only sustained for 3-4 weeks. The emergence of PR1 or WT1-specific CD8+ T-cells was associated with a significant but transient reduction in minimal residual disease (MRD) as assessed by WT1 expression, suggesting a vaccine-induced anti-leukemia response. Conversely, loss of response was associated with reappearance of WT1 transcripts. We hypothesized that maintenance of sustained or at least repetitive responses may require frequent boost injections. We therefore initiated a phase 2 study of repeated vaccination with PR1 and WT1 peptides in patients with myeloid malignancies. Five patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 2 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) were recruited to receive 6 injections at 2 week intervals of PR1 and WT1 in Montanide adjuvant, with GM-CSF as previously described. Six of 7 patients completed 6 courses of vaccination and follow-up as per protocol, to monitor toxicity and immunological responses. Responses to PR1 or WT1 vaccine were detected in all patients after only 1 dose of vaccine. However, additional boosting did not further increase the frequency of PR1 or WT1-specific CD8+ T-cell response. In 4/6 patients the vaccine-induced T-cell response was lost after the fourth dose and in all patients after the sixth dose of vaccine. To determine the functional avidity of the vaccine-induced CD8+ T-cell response, the response of CD8+ T-cells to stimulation with 2 concentrations of PR1 and WT1 peptides (0.1 and 10 μM) was measured by IC-IFN-γ staining. Vaccination led to preferential expansion of low avidity PR1 and WT1 specific CD8+ T-cell responses. Three patients (patients 4, 6 and 7) returned 3 months following the 6th dose of PR1 and WT1 peptide injections to receive a booster vaccine. Prior to vaccination we could not detect the presence of PR1 and WT1 specific CD8+ T-cells by direct ex-vivo tetramer and IC-IFN-γ assay or with 1-week cultured IFN-γ ELISPOT assay, suggesting that vaccination with PR1 and WT1 peptides in Montanide adjuvant does not induce memory CD8+ T-cell responses. This observation is in keeping with recent work in a murine model where the injection of minimal MHC class I binding peptides derived from self-antigens mixed with IFA adjuvant resulted in a transient effector CD8+ T cell response with subsequent deletion of these T cells and failure to induce CD8+ T cell memory (Bijker J Immunol 2007). This observation can be partly explained by the slow release of vaccine peptides from the IFA depot without systemic danger signals, leading to presentation of antigen in non-inflammatory lymph nodes by non-professional antigen presenting cells (APCs). An alternative explanation for the transient vaccine-induced immune response may be the lack of CD4+ T cell help. In summary these data support the immunogenicity of PR1 and WT1 peptide vaccines. However new approaches will be needed to induce long-term memory responses against leukemia antigens. To avoid tolerance induction we plan to eliminate Montanide adjuvant and use GM-CSF alone. Supported by observations that the in vivo survival of CD8+ T-effector cells against viral antigens are improved by CD4+ helper cells, we are currently attempting to induce long-lasting CD8+ T-cell responses to antigen by inducing CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell responses against class I and II epitopes of WT1 and PR1. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Phenotype and Functionality of Porcine CD8 T Cell Responses following Vaccination with Live Attenuated Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) and Virulent CSFV Challenge

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 1604-1616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Franzoni ◽  
Nitin V. Kurkure ◽  
Daniel S. Edgar ◽  
Helen E. Everett ◽  
Wilhelm Gerner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Classical Swine Fever Virus ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Classical Swine Fever ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Ifn Γ

ABSTRACTVaccination with live attenuated classical swine fever virus (CSFV) induces solid protection after only 5 days, which has been associated with virus-specific T cell gamma interferon (IFN-γ) responses. In this study, we employed flow cytometry to characterize T cell responses following vaccination and subsequent challenge infections with virulent CSFV. The CD3+CD4−CD8hiT cell population was the first and major source of CSFV-specific IFN-γ. A proportion of these cells showed evidence for cytotoxicity, as evidenced by CD107a mobilization, and coexpressed tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). To assess the durability and recall of these responses, a second experiment was conducted where vaccinated animals were challenged with virulent CSFV after 5 days and again after a further 28 days. While virus-specific CD4 T cell (CD3+CD4+CD8α+) responses were detected, the dominant response was again from the CD8 T cell population, with the highest numbers of these cells being detected 14 and 7 days after the primary and secondary challenges, respectively. These CD8 T cells were further characterized as CD44hiCD62L−and expressed variable levels of CD25 and CD27, indicative of a mixed effector and effector memory phenotype. The majority of virus-specific IFN-γ+CD8 T cells isolated at the peaks of the response after each challenge displayed CD107a on their surface, and subpopulations that coexpressed TNF-α and interleukin 2 (IL-2) were identified. While it is hoped that these data will aid the rational design and/or evaluation of next-generation marker CSFV vaccines, the novel flow cytometric panels developed should also be of value in the study of porcine T cell responses to other pathogens/vaccines.

Leukemia-Associated Antigen Specific T-Cell Responses Following Combined PR1 and WT1 Peptide Vaccination in Patients with Myeloid Malignancies.

Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 287-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katayoun Rezvani ◽  
Agnes S.M. Yong ◽  
Stephan Mielke ◽  
Bipin N. Savani ◽  
Laura Musse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Post Vaccination ◽  
Myeloid Malignancies ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Ifn Γ

Abstract The graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is evidence that T lymphocytes can eradicate leukemia. The successful identification of a range of leukemia-associated antigens such as proteinase 3 (PR3) and Wilms tumour-1 (WT1) has stimulated efforts to induce leukemia-specific T-cell responses to these antigens using peptide vaccines. Here we describe the safety and immunogenicity of a combined vaccine of two leukemia-associated antigenic peptides, PR1 and WT1. Eight HLA-A*0201 positive patients with myeloid malignancies (2 myelodysplasia, 5 acute myeloid leukemia and 1 chronic myeloid leukemia) received one subcutaneous dose each of PR1 and WT1 vaccines in Montanide adjuvant, with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). All patients completed 4 weeks follow-up to monitor toxicity and immunological responses. Toxicity was limited to grade 1–2. All remain alive at a median of 252 days (range 105–523). We analyzed the immunological response to vaccination using PR1/HLA-A*0201 and WT1/HLA-A*0201 tetrameric complexes and flow cytometry for intracellular interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in samples obtained pre- and weekly post-vaccination. A significant CD8+ T-cell response to the vaccine was defined as the emergence of PR1 or WT1-specific CD8+ T-cells when the pre-study analysis was negative or a twofold increase in frequencies when responses were present pre-vaccination. Following vaccination, a significant CD8+ T-cell response to PR1 was seen in 7/8 patients (median 0.34%, range 0.04–0.48%), to WT1 in 5/8 patients (median 0.29%, range 0–0.42%) and to one or both antigens in 8/8 patients. Vaccine-induced CD8+ T-cells were seen as early as 1 week post-vaccination, produced IFN-γ and were preferentially expanded in the effector compartment (CD45RO+/-CD27−). Post-vaccination, there was a strong correlation between the emergence of PR1 or WT1+CD8+ T-cells and a reduction in WT1 mRNA expression, a marker of minimal residual disease, suggesting a vaccine-driven anti-leukemia effect. Loss of response was associated with reappearance of WT1 transcripts (P<0.01). Two patients with detectable CD8+ T-cell responses to PR1 who failed to have a reduction in MRD relapsed 3–6 months following completion of vaccination. This is the first demonstration that a combined PR1 and WT1 vaccine is immunogenic. Based on these results we have initiated a phase 2 study of repeated vaccination with PR1 and WT1 peptides in patients with myeloid malignancies.

scholarly journals Role of Thymic Output in Regulating CD8 T-Cell Homeostasis during Acute and Chronic Viral Infection

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (15) ◽  
pp. 9419-9429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole E. Miller ◽  
Jennifer R. Bonczyk ◽  
Yumi Nakayama ◽  
M. Suresh
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Cell Response ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Lcmv Infection

ABSTRACT Although it is well documented that CD8 T cells play a critical role in controlling chronic viral infections, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of CD8 T-cell responses are not well understood. Using the mouse model of an acute and chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, we have examined the relative importance of peripheral T cells and thymic emigrants in the elicitation and maintenance of CD8 T-cell responses. Virus-specific CD8 T-cell responses were compared between mice that were either sham thymectomized or thymectomized (Thx) at ∼6 weeks of age. In an acute LCMV infection, thymic deficiency did not affect either the primary expansion of CD8 T cells or the proliferative renewal and maintenance of virus-specific lymphoid and nonlymphoid memory CD8 T cells. Following a chronic LCMV infection, in Thx mice, although the initial expansion of CD8 T cells was normal, the contraction phase of the CD8 T-cell response was exaggerated, which led to a transient but striking CD8 T-cell deficit on day 30 postinfection. However, the virus-specific CD8 T-cell response in Thx mice rebounded quickly and was maintained at normal levels thereafter, which indicated that the peripheral T-cell repertoire is quite robust and capable of sustaining an effective CD8 T-cell response in the absence of thymic output during a chronic LCMV infection. Taken together, these findings should further our understanding of the regulation of CD8 T-cell homeostasis in acute and chronic viral infections and might have implications in the development of immunotherapy.

scholarly journals Protection against Vaccinia Virus Challenge by CD8 Memory T Cells Resolved by Molecular Mimicry

2006 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 934-944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Cornberg ◽  
Brian S. Sheridan ◽  
Frances M. Saccoccio ◽  
Michael A. Brehm ◽  
Liisa K. Selin
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Protective Immunity ◽  
Molecular Mimicry ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
T Cell Epitopes ◽  
Cell Responses

ABSTRACT Live vaccinia virus (VV) vaccination has been highly successful in eradicating smallpox. However, the mechanisms of immunity involved in mediating this protective effect are still poorly understood, and the roles of CD8 T-cell responses in primary and secondary VV infections are not clearly identified. By applying the concept of molecular mimicry to identify potential CD8 T-cell epitopes that stimulate cross-reactive T cells specific to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and VV, we identified after screening only 115 peptides two VV-specific immunogenic epitopes that mediated protective immunity against VV. An immunodominant epitope, VV-e7r130, did not generate cross-reactive T-cell responses to LCMV, and a subdominant epitope, VV-a11r198, did generate cross-reactive responses to LCMV. Infection with VV induced strong epitope-specific responses which were stable into long-term memory and peaked at the time virus was cleared, consistent with CD8 T cells assisting in the control of VV. Two different approaches, direct adoptive transfer of VV-e7r-specific CD8 T cells and prior immunization with a VV-e7r-expressing ubiquitinated minigene, demonstrated that memory CD8 T cells alone could play a significant role in protective immunity against VV. These studies suggest that exploiting cross-reactive responses between viruses may be a useful tool to complement existing technology in predicting immunogenic epitopes to large viruses, such as VV, leading to a better understanding of the role CD8 T cells play during these viral infections.

scholarly journals Adrenergic signaling controls early transcriptional programs during CD8+ T cell responses to viral infection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Estrada ◽  
Didem Agac Cobanoglu ◽  
Aaron Wise ◽  
Robert Maples ◽  
Murat Can Cobanoglu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Cell Development ◽  
Primary Response ◽  
Cell Responses

Viral infections drive the expansion and differentiation of responding CD8+ T cells into variegated populations of cytolytic effector and memory cells. While pro-inflammatory cytokines and cell surface immune receptors play a key role in guiding T cell responses to infection, T cells are also markedly influenced by neurotransmitters. Norepinephrine is a key sympathetic neurotransmitter, which acts to suppress CD8 + T cell cytokine secretion and lytic activity by signaling through the beta2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2). Although ADRB2 signaling is considered generally immunosuppressive, its role in regulating differentiation of effector T cells in response to infection has not been investigated. Using an adoptive transfer approach, we compared the expansion and differentiation of wild type (WT) to Adrb2-/- CD8 + T cells throughout the primary response to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection in vivo. We measured the dynamic changes in transcriptome profiles of antigen-specific CD8 + T cells as they responded to VSV. Within the first 7 days of infection, WT cells out-paced the expansion of Adrb2-/- cells, which correlated with reduced expression of IL-2 and the IL-2Ralpha; in the absence of ADRB2. RNASeq analysis identified over 300 differentially expressed genes that were both temporally regulated following infection and selectively regulated in WT vs Adrb2-/- cells. These genes contributed to major transcriptional pathways including cytokine receptor activation, signaling in cancer, immune deficiency, and neurotransmitter pathways. By parsing genes within groups that were either induced or repressed over time in response to infection, we identified three main branches of genes that were differentially regulated by the ADRB2. These gene sets were predicted to be regulated by specific transcription factors involved in effector T cell development, such as Tbx21 and Eomes. Collectively, these data demonstrate a significant role for ADRB2 signaling in regulating key transcriptional pathways during CD8 + T cells responses to infection that may dramatically impact their functional capabilities and downstream memory cell development.

scholarly journals Modulation of let-7 miRNAs controls the differentiation of effector CD8 T cells

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria C Wells ◽  
Keith A Daniels ◽  
Constance C Angelou ◽  
Eric Fagerberg ◽  
Amy S Burnside ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Lymphocytes ◽  
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Cell Responses

The differentiation of naive CD8 T cells into effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes upon antigen stimulation is necessary for successful antiviral, and antitumor immune responses. Here, using a mouse model, we describe a dual role for the let-7 microRNAs in the regulation of CD8 T cell responses, where maintenance of the naive phenotype in CD8 T cells requires high levels of let-7 expression, while generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes depends upon T cell receptor-mediated let-7 downregulation. Decrease of let-7 expression in activated T cells enhances clonal expansion and the acquisition of effector function through derepression of the let-7 targets, including Myc and Eomesodermin. Ultimately, we have identified a novel let-7-mediated mechanism, which acts as a molecular brake controlling the magnitude of CD8 T cell responses.

scholarly journals Single cell profiling of T and B cell repertoires following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhas Sureshchandra ◽  
Sloan A. Lewis ◽  
Brianna Doratt ◽  
Allen Jankeel ◽  
Izabela Ibraim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Natural Infection ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Cd4 T Cell ◽  
Cell Responses

mRNA based vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 have shown exceptional clinical efficacy providing robust protection against severe disease. However, our understanding of transcriptional and repertoire changes following full vaccination remains incomplete. We used single-cell RNA sequencing and functional assays to compare humoral and cellular responses to two doses of mRNA vaccine with responses observed in convalescent individuals with asymptomatic disease. Our analyses revealed enrichment of spike-specific B cells, activated CD4 T cells, and robust antigen-specific polyfunctional CD4 T cell responses in all vaccinees. On the other hand, CD8 T cell responses were both weak and variable. Interestingly, clonally expanded CD8 T cells were observed in every vaccinee, as observed following natural infection. TCR gene usage, however, was variable, reflecting the diversity of repertoires and MHC polymorphism in the human population. Natural infection induced expansion of larger CD8 T cell clones occupied distinct clusters, likely due to the recognition of a broader set of viral epitopes presented by the virus not seen in the mRNA vaccine. Our study highlights a coordinated adaptive immune response where early CD4 T cell responses facilitate the development of the B cell response and substantial expansion of effector CD8 T cells, together capable of contributing to future recall responses.

scholarly journals TLR3 essentially promotes protective class I–restricted memory CD8+ T-cell responses to Aspergillus fumigatus in hematopoietic transplanted patients

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 967-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agostinho Carvalho ◽  
Antonella De Luca ◽  
Silvia Bozza ◽  
Cristina Cunha ◽  
Carmen D'Angelo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Class I ◽  
Class I Mhc ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Memory Cd8 T Cell

Abstract Aspergillus fumigatus is a model fungal pathogen and a common cause of severe infections and diseases. CD8+ T cells are present in the human and murine T-cell repertoire to the fungus. However, CD8+ T-cell function in infection and the molecular mechanisms that control their priming and differentiation into effector and memory cells in vivo remain elusive. In the present study, we report that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells mediate protective memory responses to the fungus contingent on the nature of the fungal vaccine. Mechanistically, class I MHC-restricted, CD8+ memory T cells were activated through TLR3 sensing of fungal RNA by cross-presenting dendritic cells. Genetic deficiency of TLR3 was associated with susceptibility to aspergillosis and concomitant failure to activate memory-protective CD8+ T cells both in mice and in patients receiving stem-cell transplantations. Therefore, TLR3 essentially promotes antifungal memory CD8+ T-cell responses and its deficiency is a novel susceptibility factor for aspergillosis in high-risk patients.

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