Exposure to avian coronavirus vaccines is associated with increased levels of SARS-CoV-2-cross-reactive antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Although avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and SARS-CoV-2 belong to different genera of the Coronaviridae family, exposure to IBV may result in the development of cross-reactive antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 due to homologous epitopes. We aimed to investigate whether antibody responses to IBV cross-react with SARS-CoV-2 in poultry farm personnel who are occupationally exposed to aerosolized IBV vaccines. METHODS: We analyzed sera from poultry farm personnel, COVID-19 patients, and pre-pandemic controls. IgG levels against the SARS-CoV-2 antigens S1, RBD, S2, and N and peptides corresponding to the SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a, N, and S proteins as well as whole virus antigens of the four major S1-genotypes 4/91, IS/1494/06, M41, and D274 of IBV were investigated by in-house ELISAs. Moreover, live-virus neutralization test (VNT) was performed. RESULTS: A subgroup of poultry farm personnel showed elevated levels of specific IgG for all tested SARS-CoV-2 antigens compared with pre-pandemic controls. Moreover, poultry farm personnel, COVID-19 patients, and pre-pandemic controls showed specific IgG antibodies against IBV strains. These antibody titers were higher in long-term vaccine implementers. We observed a strong correlation between IBV-specific IgG and SARS-CoV-2 S1-, RBD-, S2-, and N-specific IgG in poultry farm personnel compared with pre-pandemic controls and COVID-19 patients. However, no neutralization was observed for these cross-reactive antibodies from poultry farm personnel using the VNT. CONCLUSION: We report here for the first time the detection of cross-reactive IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 antigens in humans exposed to IBV vaccines. These findings may be useful for further studies on the adaptive immunity against COVID-19.

Experimental rhinovirus infection induces an antiviral response in circulating B cells which is dysregulated in patients with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Rhinoviruses are the predominant cause of respiratory viral infections and are strongly associated with asthma exacerbations. While humoral immunity plays an important role during virus infections, cellular aspects of this response are less well understood. Here, we investigated the antiviral response of circulating B cells upon experimental rhinovirus infection in healthy individuals and asthma patients. METHODS: We purified B cells from experimentally infected healthy individuals and patients with asthma and subjected them to total RNA-sequencing. Rhinovirus-derived RNA was measured in isolated B cells using a highly sensitive PCR. B cells were stimulated with rhinovirus in vitro to further study gene expression, expression of antiviral proteins and B-cell differentiation in response rhinovirus stimulation. Protein expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to rhinovirus was assessed using a proximity extension assay. RESULTS: B cells isolated from experimentally infected subjects exhibited an antiviral gene profile linked to IFN-alpha, carried viral RNA in vivo and were transiently infected by rhinovirus in vitro. B cells rapidly differentiated into plasmablasts upon rhinovirus stimulation. While B cells lacked expression of interferons in response to rhinovirus exposure, co-stimulation with rhinovirus and IFN-alpha upregulated pro-inflammatory cytokine expression suggesting a potential new function of B cells during virus infections. Asthma patients showed extensive upregulation and dysregulation of antiviral gene expression. CONCLUSION: These findings add to the understanding of systemic effects of rhinovirus infections on B-cell responses in the periphery, show potential dysregulation in patients with asthma and might also have implications during infection with other respiratory viruses.

Loss of regulatory capacity in Treg cells following rhinovirus infection.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory infections with rhinoviruses (RV) are strongly associated with development and exacerbations of asthma, and they pose an additional health risk for subjects with allergy. OBJECTIVE: How RV infections and chronic allergic diseases are linked and what role RV plays in the breaking of tolerance in regulatory T (Treg) cells is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of RV on Treg cells. METHODS: Treg cells were isolated from subjects with asthma and controls after experimental infection with the RV-A16 (RV16) and analyzed with next-generation sequencing. Additionally, suppression assays, quantitative PCR assays, and protein quantifications were performed with Treg cells after in vitro RV16 infection. RESULTS: RV16 induced a strong antiviral response in Treg cells from subjects with asthma and controls, including the upregulation of IFI44L, MX1, ISG15, IRF7, and STAT1. In subjects with asthma, the inflammatory response was exaggerated and showed a dysregulated immune response compared with that in the controls. Furthermore, subjects with asthma failed to upregulate several immunosuppressive molecules such as CTLA4 and CD69, and they upregulated the inflammasome-related genes PYCARD and AIM2. Additionally, RV16 reduced the suppressive capacity of Treg cells from healthy subjects and subjects with asthma in vitro and increased TH2 cell-type cytokine production. CONCLUSIONS: Treg cells from healthy subjects and subjects with asthma displayed an antiviral response after RV infection and showed reduced suppressive capacity. These data suggest that Treg cell function might be altered or impaired during RV infections, which might play an important role in the association between RV and the development of asthma and asthma exacerbations.

Impact of high-altitude therapy on type-2 immune responses in asthma patients.

BACKGROUND: Asthma patients present with distinct immunological profiles, with a predominance of type 2 endotype. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of high-altitude treatment on the clinical and immunological response in asthma. METHODS: Twenty-six hospitalized asthma patients (nine eosinophilic allergic; EA, nine noneosinophilic allergic; NEA and eight noneosinophilic nonallergic; NN) and nine healthy controls in high altitude for 21 days were enrolled in the study. We assessed eosinophils, T cells, Tregs, and innate lymphoid cells (ILC) from peripheral blood using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The number of eosinophils (both resting and activated) and chemoattractant receptor homolog expressed on Th2 cells (CRTH2)-expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells decreased significantly in EA patients after altitude treatment. The frequency of CRTH2+ Tregs as decreased significantly in all the asthma phenotypes as well as the frequency of ILC2 was significantly reduced in EA after altitude treatment. After 21 days of altitude therapy, CRTH2-expressing ILC2, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and Treg cells showed attenuated responses to exogenous PGD2. Furthermore, PGD2 signaling via CRTH2 was found to diminish the suppressive function of CRTH2+ Tregs which partially normalized during high-altitude treatment. Improved asthma control was particularly evident in allergic asthma patients and correlated with decreased frequencies of CRTH2+ Treg cells in EA patients. Serum IL-5 and IL-13 decreased during climate treatment in asthma patients with high baseline levels. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma treatment in high altitude reduced the type 2 immune response, corrected the increased CRTH2 expression and its dysregulated functions.