RESUMEN
Dexamethasone is a life-saving treatment for severe COVID-19, yet its mechanism of action is unknown, and many patients deteriorate or die despite timely treatment initiation. Here, we identify dexamethasone treatment-induced cellular and molecular changes associated with improved survival in COVID-19 patients. We observed a reversal of transcriptional hallmark signatures in monocytes associated with severe COVID-19 and the induction of a monocyte substate characterized by the expression of glucocorticoid-response genes. These molecular responses to dexamethasone were detected in circulating and pulmonary monocytes, and they were directly linked to survival. Monocyte single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq)-derived signatures were enriched in whole blood transcriptomes of patients with fatal outcome in two independent cohorts, highlighting the potential for identifying non-responders refractory to dexamethasone. Our findings link the effects of dexamethasone to specific immunomodulation and reversal of monocyte dysregulation, and they highlight the potential of single-cell omics for monitoring in vivo target engagement of immunomodulatory drugs and for patient stratification for precision medicine approaches.
Asunto(s)
Tratamiento Farmacológico de COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Dexametasona , Monocitos , SARS-CoV-2 , Análisis de la Célula Individual , Humanos , Dexametasona/farmacología , Dexametasona/uso terapéutico , Monocitos/metabolismo , Monocitos/efectos de los fármacos , SARS-CoV-2/efectos de los fármacos , Masculino , Femenino , Transcriptoma , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anciano , Glucocorticoides/uso terapéutico , Glucocorticoides/farmacología , Pulmón/patología , AdultoRESUMEN
Antiviral CD8+ T cell immunity depends on the integration of various contextual cues, but how antigen-presenting cells (APCs) consolidate these signals for decoding by T cells remains unclear. Here, we describe gradual interferon-α/interferon-ß (IFNα/ß)-induced transcriptional adaptations that endow APCs with the capacity to rapidly activate the transcriptional regulators p65, IRF1 and FOS after CD4+ T cell-mediated CD40 stimulation. While these responses operate through broadly used signaling components, they induce a unique set of co-stimulatory molecules and soluble mediators that cannot be elicited by IFNα/ß or CD40 alone. These responses are critical for the acquisition of antiviral CD8+ T cell effector function, and their activity in APCs from individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 correlates with milder disease. These observations uncover a sequential integration process whereby APCs rely on CD4+ T cells to select the innate circuits that guide antiviral CD8+ T cell responses.
Asunto(s)
Antivirales , COVID-19 , Humanos , Calibración , Células Presentadoras de Antígenos , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos , Antígenos CD40 , Interferón-alfa , Linfocitos T CD4-PositivosRESUMEN
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 led to pandemic spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), manifesting with respiratory symptoms and multi-organ dysfunction. Detailed characterization of virus-neutralizing antibodies and target epitopes is needed to understand COVID-19 pathophysiology and guide immunization strategies. Among 598 human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from 10 COVID-19 patients, we identified 40 strongly neutralizing mAbs. The most potent mAb, CV07-209, neutralized authentic SARS-CoV-2 with an IC50 value of 3.1 ng/mL. Crystal structures of two mAbs in complex with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain at 2.55 and 2.70 Å revealed a direct block of ACE2 attachment. Interestingly, some of the near-germline SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing mAbs reacted with mammalian self-antigens. Prophylactic and therapeutic application of CV07-209 protected hamsters from SARS-CoV-2 infection, weight loss, and lung pathology. Our results show that non-self-reactive virus-neutralizing mAbs elicited during SARS-CoV-2 infection are a promising therapeutic strategy.
Asunto(s)
Anticuerpos Monoclonales/inmunología , Anticuerpos Antivirales/inmunología , Betacoronavirus/metabolismo , Infecciones por Coronavirus/patología , Neumonía Viral/patología , Enzima Convertidora de Angiotensina 2 , Animales , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/uso terapéutico , Anticuerpos Neutralizantes/inmunología , Anticuerpos Antivirales/uso terapéutico , Reacciones Antígeno-Anticuerpo , Betacoronavirus/inmunología , Betacoronavirus/patogenicidad , Sitios de Unión , COVID-19 , Infecciones por Coronavirus/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones por Coronavirus/virología , Cricetinae , Cristalografía por Rayos X , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Humanos , Cinética , Pulmón/inmunología , Pulmón/metabolismo , Pulmón/patología , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Simulación de Dinámica Molecular , Pandemias , Peptidil-Dipeptidasa A/química , Peptidil-Dipeptidasa A/metabolismo , Neumonía Viral/tratamiento farmacológico , Neumonía Viral/virología , Unión Proteica , SARS-CoV-2 , Glicoproteína de la Espiga del Coronavirus/química , Glicoproteína de la Espiga del Coronavirus/inmunología , Glicoproteína de la Espiga del Coronavirus/metabolismoRESUMEN
Th17 cells provide protection at barrier tissues but may also contribute to immune pathology. The relevance and induction mechanisms of pathologic Th17 responses in humans are poorly understood. Here, we identify the mucocutaneous pathobiont Candida albicans as the major direct inducer of human anti-fungal Th17 cells. Th17 cells directed against other fungi are induced by cross-reactivity to C. albicans. Intestinal inflammation expands total C. albicans and cross-reactive Th17 cells. Strikingly, Th17 cells cross-reactive to the airborne fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are selectively activated and expanded in patients with airway inflammation, especially during acute allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. This indicates a direct link between protective intestinal Th17 responses against C. albicans and lung inflammation caused by airborne fungi. We identify heterologous immunity to a single, ubiquitous member of the microbiota as a central mechanism for systemic induction of human anti-fungal Th17 responses and as a potential risk factor for pulmonary inflammatory diseases.
Asunto(s)
Candida albicans/inmunología , Células Th17/inmunología , Células Th17/metabolismo , Aspergillus fumigatus/inmunología , Aspergillus fumigatus/patogenicidad , Candida albicans/patogenicidad , Reacciones Cruzadas/inmunología , Fibrosis Quística/inmunología , Fibrosis Quística/microbiología , Humanos , Inmunidad , Inmunidad Heteróloga/inmunología , Células Th17/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Live attenuated vaccines are generally highly efficacious and often superior to inactivated vaccines, yet the underlying mechanisms of this remain largely unclear. Here we identify recognition of microbial viability as a potent stimulus for follicular helper T cell (TFH cell) differentiation and vaccine responses. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) distinguished viable bacteria from dead bacteria through Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8)-dependent detection of bacterial RNA. In contrast to dead bacteria and other TLR ligands, live bacteria, bacterial RNA and synthetic TLR8 agonists induced a specific cytokine profile in human and porcine APCs, thereby promoting TFH cell differentiation. In domestic pigs, immunization with a live bacterial vaccine induced robust TFH cell and antibody responses, but immunization with its heat-killed counterpart did not. Finally, a hypermorphic TLR8 polymorphism was associated with protective immunity elicited by vaccination with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in a human cohort. We have thus identified TLR8 as an important driver of TFH cell differentiation and a promising target for TFH cell-skewing vaccine adjuvants.
Asunto(s)
Activación de Linfocitos/inmunología , Viabilidad Microbiana/inmunología , Linfocitos T Colaboradores-Inductores/inmunología , Receptor Toll-Like 8/inmunología , Vacunas Atenuadas/inmunología , Adulto , Animales , Formación de Anticuerpos/inmunología , Diferenciación Celular/inmunología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , PorcinosRESUMEN
Longitudinal analyses of the innate immune system, including the earliest time points, are essential to understand the immunopathogenesis and clinical course of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Here, we performed a detailed characterization of natural killer (NK) cells in 205 patients (403 samples; days 2 to 41 after symptom onset) from four independent cohorts using single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics together with functional studies. We found elevated interferon (IFN)-α plasma levels in early severe COVD-19 alongside increased NK cell expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) and genes involved in IFN-α signaling, while upregulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced genes was observed in moderate diseases. NK cells exert anti-SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) activity but are functionally impaired in severe COVID-19. Further, NK cell dysfunction may be relevant for the development of fibrotic lung disease in severe COVID-19, as NK cells exhibited impaired anti-fibrotic activity. Our study indicates preferential IFN-α and TNF responses in severe and moderate COVID-19, respectively, and associates a prolonged IFN-α-induced NK cell response with poorer disease outcome.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19/inmunología , Interferón-alfa/inmunología , Células Asesinas Naturales/inmunología , SARS-CoV-2/inmunología , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/metabolismo , Secuencia de Bases , Humanos , Inmunidad Innata/inmunología , Inflamación/inmunología , Interferón-alfa/sangre , Fibrosis Pulmonar/patología , RNA-Seq , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Transcriptoma/genética , Reino Unido , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Macrophages tightly scale their core metabolism after being activated, but the precise regulation of the mitochondrial electron-transport chain (ETC) and its functional implications are currently unknown. Here we found that recognition of live bacteria by macrophages transiently decreased assembly of the ETC complex I (CI) and CI-containing super-complexes and switched the relative contributions of CI and CII to mitochondrial respiration. This was mediated by phagosomal NADPH oxidase and the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent tyrosine kinase Fgr. It required Toll-like receptor signaling and the NLRP3 inflammasome, which were both connected to bacterial viability-specific immune responses. Inhibition of CII during infection with Escherichia coli normalized serum concentrations of interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-10 to those in mice treated with dead bacteria and impaired control of bacteria. We have thus identified ETC adaptations as an early immunological-metabolic checkpoint that adjusts innate immune responses to bacterial infection.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas del Complejo de Cadena de Transporte de Electrón/metabolismo , Infecciones por Escherichia coli/inmunología , Escherichia coli K12/inmunología , Macrófagos/inmunología , Mitocondrias/metabolismo , Animales , Células Cultivadas , Metabolismo Energético/genética , Interacciones Huésped-Parásitos , Inmunidad Innata/genética , Interleucina-10/metabolismo , Interleucina-1beta/metabolismo , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR/genética , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR/metabolismo , Fagocitosis , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismoRESUMEN
Live vaccines historically afford superior protection, yet the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating protective immunity remain unclear. Here we found that vaccination of mice with live, but not dead, Gram-negative bacteria heightened follicular T helper cell (Tfh) differentiation, germinal center formation, and protective antibody production through the signaling adaptor TRIF. Complementing the dead vaccine with an innate signature of bacterial viability, bacterial RNA, recapitulated these responses. The interferon (IFN) and inflammasome pathways downstream of TRIF orchestrated Tfh responses extrinsically to B cells and classical dendritic cells. Instead, CX3CR1+CCR2- monocytes instructed Tfh differentiation through interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), a tightly regulated cytokine secreted upon TRIF-dependent IFN licensing of the inflammasome. Hierarchical production of IFN-ß and IL-1ß dictated Tfh differentiation and elicited the augmented humoral responses characteristic of live vaccines. These findings identify bacterial RNA, an innate signature of microbial viability, as a trigger for Tfh differentiation and suggest new approaches toward vaccine formulations for coordinating augmented Tfh and B cell responses.
Asunto(s)
Formación de Anticuerpos/inmunología , Linfocitos B/inmunología , Activación de Linfocitos/inmunología , Viabilidad Microbiana/inmunología , ARN Bacteriano/inmunología , Linfocitos T Colaboradores-Inductores/inmunología , Proteínas Adaptadoras del Transporte Vesicular/inmunología , Proteínas Adaptadoras del Transporte Vesicular/metabolismo , Animales , Anticuerpos Neutralizantes/inmunología , Células Presentadoras de Antígenos/inmunología , Células Presentadoras de Antígenos/metabolismo , Linfocitos B/metabolismo , Vacunas Bacterianas/inmunología , Biomarcadores , Diferenciación Celular/inmunología , Citocinas/metabolismo , Centro Germinal , Interacciones Huésped-Patógeno/inmunología , Inmunidad Celular , Inmunidad Innata , Inflamasomas/metabolismo , Ratones , Monocitos/inmunología , Monocitos/metabolismo , Receptor de Interferón alfa y beta/genética , Receptor de Interferón alfa y beta/metabolismo , Receptores Tipo I de Interleucina-1/genética , Receptores Tipo I de Interleucina-1/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal , Linfocitos T Colaboradores-Inductores/metabolismoRESUMEN
The systemic immune response to viral infection is shaped by master transcription factors, such as NF-κB, STAT1, or PU.1. Although long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been suggested as important regulators of transcription factor activity, their contributions to the systemic immunopathologies observed during SARS-CoV-2 infection have remained unknown. Here, we employed a targeted single-cell RNA sequencing approach to reveal lncRNAs differentially expressed in blood leukocytes during severe COVID-19. Our results uncover the lncRNA PIRAT (PU.1-induced regulator of alarmin transcription) as a major PU.1 feedback-regulator in monocytes, governing the production of the alarmins S100A8/A9, key drivers of COVID-19 pathogenesis. Knockout and transgene expression, combined with chromatin-occupancy profiling, characterized PIRAT as a nuclear decoy RNA, keeping PU.1 from binding to alarmin promoters and promoting its binding to pseudogenes in naïve monocytes. NF-κB-dependent PIRAT down-regulation during COVID-19 consequently releases a transcriptional brake, fueling alarmin production. Alarmin expression is additionally enhanced by the up-regulation of the lncRNA LUCAT1, which promotes NF-κB-dependent gene expression at the expense of targets of the JAK-STAT pathway. Our results suggest a major role of nuclear noncoding RNA networks in systemic antiviral responses to SARS-CoV-2 in humans.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Monocitos , ARN Largo no Codificante , SARS-CoV-2 , Alarminas/genética , COVID-19/genética , COVID-19/inmunología , Humanos , Quinasas Janus/genética , Monocitos/inmunología , FN-kappa B/genética , ARN Largo no Codificante/genética , ARN Largo no Codificante/metabolismo , RNA-Seq , SARS-CoV-2/inmunología , Factores de Transcripción STAT/genética , Transducción de Señal/genética , Análisis de la Célula IndividualRESUMEN
The structure-based design of antigens holds promise for developing vaccines with higher efficacy and improved safety profiles. We postulate that abrogation of host receptor interaction bears potential for the improvement of vaccines by preventing antigen-induced modification of receptor function as well as the displacement or masking of the immunogen. Antigen modifications may yet destroy epitopes crucial for antibody neutralization. Here, we present a methodology that integrates deep mutational scans to identify and score SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain variants that maintain immunogenicity, but lack interaction with the widely expressed host receptor. Single point mutations were scored in silico, validated in vitro, and applied in vivo. Our top-scoring variant receptor binding domain-G502E prevented spike-induced cell-to-cell fusion, receptor internalization, and improved neutralizing antibody responses by 3.3-fold in rabbit immunizations. We name our strategy BIBAX for body-inert, B-cell-activating vaccines, which in the future may be applied beyond SARS-CoV-2 for the improvement of vaccines by design.
Asunto(s)
Vacunas contra la COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Animales , Conejos , Anticuerpos Neutralizantes , Enzima Convertidora de Angiotensina 2/genética , SARS-CoV-2 , COVID-19/prevención & control , Anticuerpos AntiviralesRESUMEN
Memory T cells exert antigen-independent effector functions, but how these responses are regulated is unclear. We discovered an in vivo link between flagellin-induced NLRC4 inflammasome activation in splenic dendritic cells (DCs) and host protective interferon-γ (IFN-γ) secretion by noncognate memory CD8(+) T cells, which could be activated by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We show that CD8α(+) DCs were particularly efficient at sensing bacterial flagellin through NLRC4 inflammasomes. Although this activation released interleukin 18 (IL-18) and IL-1ß, only IL-18 was required for IFN-γ production by memory CD8(+) T cells. Conversely, only the release of IL-1ß, but not IL-18, depended on priming signals mediated by Toll-like receptors. These findings provide a comprehensive mechanistic framework for the regulation of noncognate memory T cell responses during bacterial immunity.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Reguladoras de la Apoptosis/inmunología , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/inmunología , Proteínas de Unión al Calcio/inmunología , Células Dendríticas/inmunología , Memoria Inmunológica , Inflamasomas/inmunología , Interferón gamma/inmunología , Animales , Flagelina/inmunología , Interleucina-18/inmunología , Interleucina-1beta/inmunología , Interleucina-1beta/metabolismo , Ratones , Infecciones por Pseudomonas/inmunología , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/inmunología , Salmonelosis Animal/inmunología , Salmonella typhimurium/inmunología , Transducción de Señal/inmunología , Bazo/inmunología , Receptores Toll-Like/inmunología , Infecciones por Yersinia pseudotuberculosis/inmunologíaRESUMEN
Advanced age is a main risk factor for severe COVID-19. However, low vaccination efficacy and accelerated waning immunity have been reported in this age group. To elucidate age-related differences in immunogenicity, we analyzed human cellular, serological, and salivary SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein-specific immune responses to the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine in old (69-92 y) and middle-aged (24-57 y) vaccinees compared with natural infection (COVID-19 convalescents, 21-55 y of age). Serological humoral responses to vaccination excee-ded those of convalescents, but salivary anti-spike subunit 1 (S1) IgA and neutralizing capacity were less durable in vaccinees. In old vaccinees, we observed that pre-existing spike-specific CD4+ T cells are associated with efficient induction of anti-S1 IgG and neutralizing capacity in serum but not saliva. Our results suggest pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive CD4+ T cells as a predictor of an efficient COVID-19 vaccine-induced humoral immune response in old individuals.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento/inmunología , Anticuerpos Neutralizantes/sangre , Anticuerpos Antivirales/sangre , Vacuna BNT162/inmunología , Linfocitos T CD4-Positivos/inmunología , SARS-CoV-2/inmunología , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , COVID-19/inmunología , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina A/sangre , Inmunoglobulina A/inmunología , Inmunoglobulina G/sangre , Inmunoglobulina G/inmunología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Casas de Salud , Saliva/inmunología , Glicoproteína de la Espiga del Coronavirus/inmunología , Vacunación , Eficacia de las Vacunas , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Patients with COVID-19 can have a variety of neurological symptoms, but the active involvement of central nervous system (CNS) in COVID-19 remains unclear. While routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analyses in patients with neurological manifestations of COVID-19 generally show no or only mild inflammation, more detailed data on inflammatory mediators in the CSF of patients with COVID-19 are scarce. We studied the inflammatory response in paired CSF and serum samples of patients with COVID-19 (n = 38). Patients with herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSVE, n = 10) and patients with non-inflammatory, non-neurodegenerative neurological diseases (n = 28) served as controls. We used proteomics, enzyme-linked immunoassays, and semiquantitative cytokine arrays to characterize inflammatory proteins. Autoantibody screening was performed with cell-based assays and native tissue staining. RNA sequencing of long-non-coding RNA and circular RNA was done to study the transcriptome. Proteomics on single protein level and subsequent pathway analysis showed similar yet strongly attenuated inflammatory changes in the CSF of COVID-19 patients compared to HSVE patients with, e.g., downregulation of the apolipoproteins and extracellular matrix proteins. Protein upregulation of the complement system, the serpin proteins pathways, and other proteins including glycoproteins alpha-2 and alpha-1 acid. Importantly, calculation of interleukin-6, interleukin-16, and CXCL10 CSF/serum indices suggest that these inflammatory mediators reach the CSF from the systemic circulation, rather than being produced within the CNS. Antibody screening revealed no pathological levels of known neuronal autoantibodies. When stratifying COVID-19 patients into those with and without bacterial superinfection as indicated by elevated procalcitonin levels, inflammatory markers were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in those with bacterial superinfection. RNA sequencing in the CSF revealed 101 linear RNAs comprising messenger RNAs, and two circRNAs being significantly differentially expressed in COVID-19 than in non-neuroinflammatory controls and neurodegenerative patients. Our findings may explain the absence of signs of intrathecal inflammation upon routine CSF testing despite the presence of SARS-CoV2 infection-associated neurological symptoms. The relevance of blood-derived mediators of inflammation in the CSF for neurological COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 symptoms deserves further investigation.
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COVID-19 , Encefalitis por Herpes Simple , Sobreinfección , Humanos , Proteoma/metabolismo , ARN Viral/metabolismo , Sobreinfección/metabolismo , SARS-CoV-2 , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Inflamación/metabolismo , Encefalitis por Herpes Simple/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Mediadores de Inflamación/metabolismoRESUMEN
RNA has been proposed as an important scaffolding factor in the nucleus, aiding protein complex assembly in the dense intracellular milieu. Architectural contributions of RNA to cytosolic signaling pathways, however, remain largely unknown. Here, we devised a multidimensional gradient approach, which systematically locates RNA components within cellular protein networks. Among a subset of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) cosedimenting with the ubiquitin-proteasome system, our approach unveiled ncRNA MaIL1 as a critical structural component of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) immune signal transduction pathway. RNA affinity antisense purification-mass spectrometry (RAP-MS) revealed MaIL1 binding to optineurin (OPTN), a ubiquitin-adapter platforming TBK1 kinase. MaIL1 binding stabilized OPTN, and consequently, loss of MaIL1 blunted OPTN aggregation, TBK1-dependent IRF3 phosphorylation, and type I interferon (IFN) gene transcription downstream of TLR4. MaIL1 expression was elevated in patients with active pulmonary infection and was highly correlated with IFN levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Our study uncovers MaIL1 as an integral RNA component of the TLR4-TRIF pathway and predicts further RNAs to be required for assembly and progression of cytosolic signaling networks in mammalian cells.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/metabolismo , Interferón Tipo I/genética , Proteínas de Transporte de Membrana/metabolismo , ARN no Traducido/metabolismo , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/inmunología , Receptor Toll-Like 4/metabolismo , Proteínas Adaptadoras del Transporte Vesicular/metabolismo , Adulto , Anciano , Capa Leucocitaria de la Sangre/citología , Líquido del Lavado Bronquioalveolar/inmunología , Femenino , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/inmunología , Técnicas de Silenciamiento del Gen , Humanos , Factor 3 Regulador del Interferón/metabolismo , Interferón Tipo I/sangre , Interferón Tipo I/inmunología , Macrófagos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Fosforilación/genética , Cultivo Primario de Células , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/metabolismo , Estabilidad Proteica , ARN no Traducido/sangre , ARN no Traducido/genética , RNA-Seq , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/sangre , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/microbiología , Transducción de Señal/genética , Transducción de Señal/inmunología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is an effective antiviral therapy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Use is not recommended in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESDR) due to a lack of data. We investigated the pharmacokinetics of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (150 mg/100 mg twice a day) in four patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis. Nirmatrelvir peak concentrations ranged from 4,563 to 7,898 ng/mL and declined after hemodialysis. Concentrations were up to 4-fold higher but still within the range known from patients without ESRD, without accumulation of nirmatrelvir after the end of treatment.
Asunto(s)
Tratamiento Farmacológico de COVID-19 , Fallo Renal Crónico , Humanos , Ritonavir/uso terapéutico , SARS-CoV-2 , Fallo Renal Crónico/tratamiento farmacológico , Diálisis Renal , Antivirales/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination of healthy individuals is highly immunogenic and protective against severe COVID-19. However, there are limited data on how disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) alter SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine immunogenicity in patients with autoimmune diseases. METHODS: As part of a prospective cohort study, we investigated the induction, stability and boosting of vaccine-specific antibodies, B cells and T cells in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) on different DMTs after homologous primary, secondary and booster SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations. Of 126 patients with MS analysed, 105 received either anti-CD20-based B cell depletion (aCD20-BCD), fingolimod, interferon-ß, dimethyl fumarate, glatiramer acetate, teriflunomide or natalizumab, and 21 were untreated MS patients for comparison. RESULTS: In contrast to all other MS patients, and even after booster, most aCD20-BCD- and fingolimod-treated patients showed no to markedly reduced anti-S1 IgG, serum neutralising activity and a lack of receptor binding domain-specific and S2-specific B cells. Patients receiving fingolimod additionally lacked spike-reactive CD4+ T cell responses. The duration of fingolimod treatment, rather than peripheral blood B and T cell counts prior to vaccination, determined whether a humoral immune response was elicited. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of immunogenicity under long-term fingolimod treatment demonstrates that functional immune responses require not only immune cells themselves, but also access of these cells to the site of inoculation and their unimpeded movement. The absence of humoral and T cell responses suggests that fingolimod-treated patients with MS are at risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 infections despite booster vaccinations, which is highly relevant for clinical decision-making and adapted protective measures, particularly considering additional recently approved sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor antagonists for MS treatment.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Esclerosis Múltiple , Anticuerpos Antivirales , COVID-19/prevención & control , Vacunas contra la COVID-19/uso terapéutico , Clorhidrato de Fingolimod/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Inmunidad Celular , Esclerosis Múltiple/tratamiento farmacológico , Estudios Prospectivos , ARN Mensajero , SARS-CoV-2 , Vacunación , Vacunas Sintéticas , Vacunas de ARNmRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To investigate antimicrobial use and primary and nosocomial infections in hospitalized COVID-19 patients to provide data for guidance of antimicrobial therapy. METHODS: Prospective observational cohort study conducted at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, including patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2-infection between March and November 2020. RESULTS: 309 patients were included, 231 directly admitted and 78 transferred from other centres. Antimicrobial therapy was initiated in 62/231 (26.8%) of directly admitted and in 44/78 (56.4%) of transferred patients. The rate of microbiologically confirmed primary co-infections was 4.8% (11/231). Although elevated in most COVID-19 patients, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels were higher in patients with primary co-infections than in those without (median CRP 110 mg/l, IQR 51-222 vs. 36, IQR 11-101, respectively; p < 0.0001). Nosocomial bloodstream and respiratory infections occurred in 47/309 (15.2%) and 91/309 (29.4%) of patients, respectively, and were associated with need for invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 45.6 95%CI 13.7-151.8 and 104.6 95%CI 41.5-263.5, respectively), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (OR 14.3 95%CI 6.5-31.5 and 16.5 95%CI 6.5-41.6, respectively), and haemodialysis (OR 31.4 95%CI 13.9-71.2 and OR 22.3 95%CI 11.2-44.2, respectively). The event of any nosocomial infection was significantly associated with in-hospital death (33/99 (33.3%) with nosocomial infection vs. 23/210 (10.9%) without, OR 4.1 95%CI 2.2-7.3). CONCLUSIONS: Primary co-infections are rare, yet antimicrobial use was frequent, mostly based on clinical worsening and elevated inflammation markers without clear evidence for co-infection. More reliable diagnostic prospects may help to reduce overtreatment. Rates of nosocomial infections are substantial in severely ill patients on organ support and associated with worse patient outcome.
Asunto(s)
Antiinfecciosos , Tratamiento Farmacológico de COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Coinfección , Infección Hospitalaria , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , Coinfección/tratamiento farmacológico , Coinfección/epidemiología , SARS-CoV-2 , Mortalidad Hospitalaria , Estudios Prospectivos , Antiinfecciosos/uso terapéutico , Infección Hospitalaria/tratamiento farmacológico , Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Rationale: Pulmonary sarcoidosis is generally presumed to be a T-helper cell type 1- and macrophage-driven disease. However, mouse models have recently revealed that chronically inflamed lung tissue can also comprise T follicular helper (Tfh)-like cells and represents a site of active T-cell/B-cell cooperation. Objectives: To assess the role of pulmonary Tfh- and germinal center-like lymphocytes in sarcoidosis. Methods: BAL fluid, lung tissue, and peripheral blood samples from patients with sarcoidosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, immunohistology, RNA sequencing, and in vitro T-cell/B-cell cooperation assays for phenotypic and functional characterization of germinal center-like reactions in inflamed tissue. Measurements and Main Results: We identified a novel population of Tfh-like cells characterized by high expression of the B helper molecules CD40L and IL-21 in BAL of patients with sarcoidosis. Transcriptome analysis further confirmed a phenotype that was both Tfh-like and tissue resident. BAL T cells provided potent help for B cells to differentiate into antibody-producing cells. In lung tissue, we observed large peribronchial infiltrates with T and B cells in close contact, and many IgA+ plasmablasts. Most clusters were nonectopic; that is, they did not contain follicular dendritic cells. Patients with sarcoidosis also showed elevated levels of PD-1high CXCR5- CD40Lhigh ICOShigh Tfh-like cells, but not classical CXCR5+ Tfh cells, in the blood. Conclusions: Active T-cell/B-cell cooperation and local production of potentially pathogenic antibodies in the inflamed lung represents a novel pathomechanism in sarcoidosis and should be considered from both diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives.
Asunto(s)
Linfocitos B/inmunología , Centro Germinal/inmunología , Pulmón/inmunología , Sarcoidosis Pulmonar/inmunología , Células T Auxiliares Foliculares/inmunología , Adulto , Anciano , Biomarcadores/sangre , Líquido del Lavado Bronquioalveolar/citología , Líquido del Lavado Bronquioalveolar/inmunología , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Femenino , Citometría de Flujo , Humanos , Pulmón/patología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Sarcoidosis Pulmonar/sangre , Sarcoidosis Pulmonar/patologíaRESUMEN
Estimates of seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies have been hampered by inadequate assay sensitivity and specificity. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based approach that combines data about immunoglobulin G responses to both the nucleocapsid and spike receptor binding domain antigens, we show that excellent sensitivity and specificity can be achieved. We used this assay to assess the frequency of virus-specific antibodies in a cohort of elective surgery patients in Australia and estimated seroprevalence in Australia to be 0.28% (95% Confidence Interval, 0-1.15%). These data confirm the low level of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Australia before July 2020 and validate the specificity of our assay.
Asunto(s)
Anticuerpos Antivirales/análisis , COVID-19/diagnóstico , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática , Estudios Seroepidemiológicos , Antígenos Virales/inmunología , Australia , COVID-19/inmunología , Proteínas de la Nucleocápside de Coronavirus/inmunología , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina G/análisis , Fosfoproteínas/inmunología , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Glicoproteína de la Espiga del Coronavirus/inmunologíaRESUMEN
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Type I interferons are important in the defense of viral infections. Recently, neutralizing IgG auto-antibodies against type I interferons were found in patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Here, we analyzed expression of CD169/SIGLEC1, a well described downstream molecule in interferon signaling, and found increased monocytic CD169/SIGLEC1 expression levels in patients with mild, acute COVID-19, compared to patients with severe disease. We recommend further clinical studies to evaluate the value of CD169/SIGLEC1 expression in patients with COVID-19 with or without auto-antibodies against type I interferons.