Dynamic MAIT Cell Recovery after Severe COVID-19 Is Transient with Signs of Heterogeneous Functional Anomalies.
J Immunol
; 212(3): 389-396, 2024 Feb 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38117799
ABSTRACT
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an abundant population of unconventional T cells in humans and play important roles in immune defense against microbial infections. Severe COVID-19 is associated with strong activation of MAIT cells and loss of these cells from circulation. In the present study, we investigated the capacity of MAIT cells to recover after severe COVID-19. In longitudinal paired analysis, MAIT cells initially rebounded numerically and phenotypically in most patients at 4 mo postrelease from the hospital. However, the rebounding MAIT cells displayed signs of persistent activation with elevated expression of CD69, CD38, and HLA-DR. Although MAIT cell function was restored in many patients, a subgroup displayed a predominantly PD-1high functionally impaired MAIT cell pool. This profile was associated with poor expression of IFN-γ and granzyme B in response to IL-12 + L-18 and low levels of polyfunctionality. Unexpectedly, although the overall T cell counts recovered, normalization of the MAIT cell pool failed at 9-mo follow-up, with a clear decline in MAIT cell numbers and a further increase in PD-1 levels. Together, these results indicate an initial transient period of inconsistent recovery of MAIT cells that is not sustained and eventually fails. Persisting MAIT cell impairment in previously hospitalized patients with COVID-19 may have consequences for antimicrobial immunity and inflammation and could potentially contribute to post-COVID-19 health problems.
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Células T Invariantes Asociadas a Mucosa
/
COVID-19
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article