The salivary glands are important effector sites for IgA-mediated humoral immunity to protect oral surfaces. Within murine submandibular glands (SMG), we identified a memory CD8 T-cell population ...that exhibited a unique cell-surface phenotype distinct from memory CD8 T cells in spleen but similar to memory T cells resident in the intraepithelial lymphocyte compartment of the intestinal mucosa. In mice immune to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or vesicular stomatitis virus(VSV), virus-specific memory CD8 T cells with this unusual phenotype were present in SMG at remarkably high frequencies. LCMV-specific memory CD8 T cells in SMG showed potent functional activities in vivo, including cytokine-induced bystander proliferation, antigen-triggered IFNγ production, and viral clearance. Adoptive transfer experiments further revealed that the capacity to accumulate in SMG decreased during CD8 T-cell differentiation and that SMG CD8 T cells were poorly replenished from the circulation, indicating that they were tissue-resident. Moreover, they preferentially relocalized within their tissue of origin after adoptive transfer and antigen rechallenge, thus revealing an imprinted differentiation status. Accumulation of memory CD8 T cells within SMG did not require local antigen presentation but was promoted by the epithelial differentiation molecule E-cadherin intrinsically expressed by these CD8 T cells. This finding extends the epithelial-restricted function of E-cadherin to an impact on lymphocyte accumulation within epithelial tissues.
Differentiation and fate of virus-specific CD8
T cells after cessation of chronic antigen stimulation is unclear. Here we show that a TCF1
CD127
PD1
hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD8
T-cell subset ...exists in chronically infected patients with phenotypic features of T-cell exhaustion and memory, both before and after treatment with direct acting antiviral (DAA) agents. This subset is maintained during, and for a long duration after, HCV elimination. After antigen re-challenge the less differentiated TCF1
CD127
PD1
population expands, which is accompanied by emergence of terminally exhausted TCF1-CD127-PD1
HCV-specific CD8
T cells. These results suggest the TCF1
CD127
PD1
HCV-specific CD8
T-cell subset has memory-like characteristics, including antigen-independent survival and recall proliferation. We thus provide evidence for the establishment of memory-like virus-specific CD8
T cells in a clinically relevant setting of chronic viral infection and we uncover their fate after cessation of chronic antigen stimulation, implicating a potential strategy for antiviral immunotherapy.
Abstract
The origin of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern remains unclear. Here, we test whether intra-host virus evolution during persistent infections could be a contributing factor by characterizing ...the long-term SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics in an immunosuppressed kidney transplant recipient. Applying RT-qPCR and next-generation sequencing (NGS) of sequential respiratory specimens, we identify several mutations in the viral genome late in infection. We demonstrate that a late viral isolate exhibiting genome mutations similar to those found in variants of concern first identified in UK, South Africa, and Brazil, can escape neutralization by COVID-19 antisera. Moreover, infection of susceptible mice with this patient’s escape variant elicits protective immunity against re-infection with either the parental virus and the escape variant, as well as high neutralization titers against the alpha and beta SARS-CoV-2 variants, B.1.1.7 and B.1.351, demonstrating a considerable immune control against such variants of concern. Upon lowering immunosuppressive treatment, the patient generated spike-specific neutralizing antibodies and resolved the infection. Our results suggest that immunocompromised patients could be a source for the emergence of potentially harmful SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination varies between individuals and might be affected by vaccination history among other factors. Here we show, by monitoring frequencies of CD4 T cells ...specific to the conserved hemagglutinin epitope HA
and titres of IgG against the corresponding recombinant hemagglutinin protein, that antigen-specific CD4 T cell and antibody responses are closely linked to pre-existing immunity and vaccine history. Upon immunization, a strong early reaction is observed in all vaccine naïve participants and also in vaccine experienced individuals who have not received the respective seasonal vaccine in the previous year. This response is characterized by HA
specific CD4 T cells with a follicular helper T cell phenotype and by ascending titers of hemagglutinin-specific antibodies from baseline to day 28 following vaccination. This trend was observed in only a proportion of those participants who received the seasonal vaccine the year preceding the study. Regardless of history, levels of pre-existing antibodies and CD127 expression on CD4 T cells at baseline were the strongest predictors of robust early response. Thus, both pre-existing immunity and vaccine history contribute to the response to seasonal influenza vaccines.
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health burden affecting around 257 million people worldwide. The consequences of chronic HBV infection include progressive liver damage, ...liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although current direct antiviral therapies successfully lead to suppression of viral replication and deceleration of liver cirrhosis progression, these treatments are rarely curative and patients often require a life-long therapy. Based on the ability of the immune system to control HBV infection in at least a subset of patients, immunotherapeutic approaches are promising treatment options to achieve HBV cure. In particular, T cell-based therapies are of special interest since CD8
T cells are not only capable to control HBV infection but also to eliminate HBV-infected cells. However, recent data show that the molecular mechanisms underlying CD8
T-cell failure in chronic HBV infection depend on the targeted antigen and thus different strategies to improve the HBV-specific CD8
T-cell response are required. Here, we review the current knowledge about the heterogeneity of impaired HBV-specific T-cell populations and the potential consequences for T cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches in HBV cure.
Immunization with two mRNA vaccine doses elicits robust spike-specific CD8
T cell responses, but reports of waning immunity after COVID-19 vaccination prompt the introduction of booster vaccination ...campaigns. However, the effect of mRNA booster vaccination on the spike-specific CD8
T cell response remains unclear. Here we show that spike-specific CD8
T cells are activated and expanded in all analyzed individuals receiving the 3
and 4
mRNA vaccine shots. This CD8
T cell boost response is followed by a contraction phase and lasts only for about 30-60 days. The spike-specific CD8
T memory stem cell pool is not affected by the 3
vaccination. Both 4
vaccination and breakthrough infections with Delta and Omicron rapidly reactivate CD8
T memory cells. In contrast, neutralizing antibody responses display little boost effect towards Omicron. Thus, COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination elicits a transient T effector cell response while long-term spike-specific CD8
T cell immunity is conserved to mount robust memory recall targeting emerging variants of concern.
The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the smallest known human virus, yet it causes great harm to patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). As a satellite virus of HBV, HDV requires the surface ...antigen of HBV (HBsAg) for sufficient viral packaging and spread. The special circumstance of co-infection, albeit only one partner depends on the other, raises many virological, immunological, and pathophysiological questions. In the last years, breakthroughs were made in understanding the adaptive immune response, in particular, virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, in self-limited versus persistent HBV/HDV co-infection. Indeed, the mechanisms of CD8+ T cell failure in persistent HBV/HDV co-infection include viral escape and T cell exhaustion, and mimic those in other persistent human viral infections, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and HBV mono-infection. However, compared to these larger viruses, the small HDV has perfectly adapted to evade recognition by CD8+ T cells restricted by common human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles. Furthermore, accelerated progression towards liver cirrhosis in persistent HBV/HDV co-infection was attributed to an increased immune-mediated pathology, either caused by innate pathways initiated by the interferon (IFN) system or triggered by misguided and dysfunctional T cells. These new insights into HDV-specific adaptive immunity will be discussed in this review and put into context with known well-described aspects in HBV, HCV, and HIV infections.
Chronic hepatitis C virus (cHCV) infection is a major global health burden and the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the Western world. The course and outcome of HCV infection is ...centrally influenced by CD8
T cell responses. Indeed, strong virus-specific CD8
T cell responses are associated with spontaneous viral clearance while failure of these responses, e.g., caused by viral escape and T cell exhaustion, is associated with the development of chronic infection. Recently, heterogeneity within the exhausted HCV-specific CD8
T cells has been observed with implications for immunotherapeutic approaches also for other diseases. In HCC, the presence of tumor-infiltrating and peripheral CD8
T cell responses correlates with a favorable prognosis. Thus, tumor-associated and tumor-specific CD8
T cells are considered suitable targets for immunotherapeutic strategies. Here, we review the current knowledge of CD8+ T cell responses in chronic HCV infection and HCC and their respective failure with the potential consequences for T cell-associated immunotherapeutic approaches.
Our understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still developing. We perform an observational study to investigate seroprevalence and immune responses in subjects ...professionally exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and their family members (155 individuals; ages 5-79 years). Seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein aligns with PCR results that confirm the previous infection. Anti-Spike IgG/IgM titers remain high 60 days post-infection and do not strongly associate with symptoms, except for fever. We analyze PBMCs from a subset of seropositive and seronegative adults. TLR7 agonist-activation reveals an increased population of IL-6
TNF
IL-1β
monocytes, while SARS-CoV-2 peptide stimulation elicits IL-33, IL-6, IFNa2, and IL-23 expression in seropositive individuals. IL-33 correlates with CD4
T cell activation in PBMCs from convalescent subjects and is likely due to T cell-mediated effects on IL-33-producing cells. IL-33 is associated with pulmonary infection and chronic diseases like asthma and COPD, but its role in COVID-19 is unknown. Analysis of published scRNAseq data of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with mild to severe COVID-19 reveals a population of IL-33-producing cells that increases with the disease. Together these findings show that IL-33 production is linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection and warrant further investigation of IL-33 in COVID-19 pathogenesis and immunity.
Immunity following an acutely resolved infection or the long-term equipoise of chronic viral infections often depends on the maintenance of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, yet the ongoing ...transcriptional requirements of these cells remain unclear. We show that active and continuous programming by FOXO1 is required for the functional maintenance of a memory population. Upon Foxo1 deletion following resolution of an infection, memory cells rapidly lost their characteristic gene expression, gradually declined in number, and were impaired in self-renewal. This was extended to chronic infections, as a loss of FOXO1 during a persistent viral infection led to a rapid decline of the TCF7 (a.k.a. TCF1)-expressing memory-like subset of CD8+ T cells. We further establish FOXO1 regulation as a characteristic of human memory CD8+ T cells. Overall, we show that the molecular and functional longevity of a memory T cell population is actively maintained by the transcription factor FOXO1.
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•Continuous FOXO1 expression actively sustains T cell memory•Memory survival and turnover decline in the absence of FOXO1•FOXO1 sustains a TCF7+ memory-like subset found in chronic infections•FOXO1 functions as a marker for human memory CD8+ T cells
Utzschneider et al. find that hallmarks of CD8+ T cell memory such as longevity, self-renewal, and the ability to cycle between quiescence and cell division depend on continued expression of FOXO1. Loss of FOXO1 during any of these stages leads to the interruption of T cell memory.
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