ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 spike mRNA vaccines1-3 mediate protection from severe disease as early as ten days after prime vaccination3, when neutralizing antibodies are hardly detectable4-6. Vaccine-induced CD8+ T cells may therefore be the main mediators of protection at this early stage7,8. The details of their induction, comparison to natural infection, and association with other arms of vaccine-induced immunity remain, however, incompletely understood. Here we show on a single-epitope level that a stable and fully functional CD8+ T cell response is vigorously mobilized one week after prime vaccination with bnt162b2, when circulating CD4+ T cells and neutralizing antibodies are still weakly detectable. Boost vaccination induced a robust expansion that generated highly differentiated effector CD8+ T cells; however, neither the functional capacity nor the memory precursor T cell pool was affected. Compared with natural infection, vaccine-induced early memory T cells exhibited similar functional capacities but a different subset distribution. Our results indicate that CD8+ T cells are important effector cells, are expanded in the early protection window after prime vaccination, precede maturation of other effector arms of vaccine-induced immunity and are stably maintained after boost vaccination.
Subject(s)
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/cytology , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , COVID-19/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Vaccination , Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , BNT162 Vaccine , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , COVID-19/virology , Cells, Cultured , Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology , Humans , Immunization, Secondary , Immunologic Memory/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology , Time Factors , mRNA VaccinesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with decompensated cirrhosis suffer from recurrent infections and inadequate responses to prophylactic vaccinations. However, many patients present with hypergammaglobulinemia (HGG), indicating a sustained ability to generate antibody responses. As follicular T helper (Tfh) cells are central facilitators of humoral immunity, we hypothesized that Tfh cell responses may be altered in advanced liver disease and we aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying any such alterations. METHODS: Tfh, regulatory T (Treg) cells, B cells, circulating cytokines and immunoglobulins were analyzed in cohorts of patients with compensated (n = 37) and decompensated cirrhosis (n = 82) and in non-cirrhotic controls (n = 45). Intrahepatic T cells were analyzed in 8 decompensated patients. The influence of IL-2 on Tfh cell function was evaluated in vitro, including Tfh cell cloning and T cell-B cell co-cultures with clones and primary tonsil-derived Tfh cells. RESULTS: Tfh cell frequencies were reduced in patients with decompensated cirrhosis, with phenotypic signatures indicative of increased IL-2 signaling. Soluble IL-2 receptor (sCD25) was elevated in these patients and CD4 T cells were more responsive to IL-2 signaling, as characterized by STAT5 phosphorylation. IL-2 exposure in vitro diminished the Tfh phenotype and resulted in impaired Tfh helper function in co-culture experiments with naïve B cells. Tfh cells were barely detectable in cirrhotic livers. IL-2 signatures on Tfh cells in decompensated patients correlated with immunoglobulin levels, which were found to be associated with improved survival. CONCLUSIONS: Tfh cell impairment represents a previously underestimated feature of cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction that is driven by IL-2. The presence of HGG in decompensated patients predicts an intact Tfh cell compartment and is associated with a favorable outcome. LAY SUMMARY: Patients with advanced cirrhosis often fail to generate protective immunity after prophylactic vaccinations and suffer from recurring infections that are associated with high mortality. Follicular T helper (Tfh) cells are specialized CD4 T cells that enable the emergence of antibody responses against microbial pathogens. This report demonstrates that Tfh cells are impaired in patients with advanced cirrhosis due to interleukin-2 signaling, a cytokine that is known to impair the generation of Tfh cells.
Subject(s)
Hypergammaglobulinemia/complications , Interleukin-2/blood , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Liver Cirrhosis/immunology , Signal Transduction/immunology , T Follicular Helper Cells/immunology , Adult , Aged , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , Cells, Cultured , Coculture Techniques , Cohort Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Liver Cirrhosis/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Prognosis , STAT5 Transcription Factor/metabolism , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology , Tumor Suppressor Proteins/metabolismABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is now recognized as a major cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. HEV specific antibodies develop shortly after infection and are thought to confer protection. CASE PRESENTATION: We report an immunocompromised patient who developed chronic HEV infection despite the presence of high level antibodies. HEV infection was detected using RT-PCR upon diagnostic evaluation due to increased liver enzymes. Upon retrospective analysis of stored serum samples we found that the patient was HEV RNA positive since 7 months. Chronic HEV infection was successfully treated with ribavirin. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the patient suffered from a chronic course of HEV infection, which was successfully treated with ribavirin. Our case underlines the importance of RT-PCR for HEV diagnostics in immunosuppressed patients and supports the notion that HEV antibodies do not confer universal protection. Counseling patients at risk for chronic HEV infection seems advisable. The role of the humoral and T-cell mediated immune response in cases of HEV reinfection deserves further study.
