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Mutational escape from cellular immunity in viral hepatitis: variations on a theme. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 50:110-118. [PMID: 34454351 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Approx. 320 million individuals worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis viruses, contributing to viral hepatitis being one of the 10 leading causes of death. Cellular adaptive immunity, namely CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, plays an important role in viral clearance and control. Two main mechanisms, however, may lead to failure of the virus-specific T-cell response: T-cell exhaustion and mutational viral escape. Viral escape has been studied in detail in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, where it is thought to affect approx. 50% of virus-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in persistent infection, to influence natural infection outcome and to contribute to failure of preventive vaccination strategies. In hepatitis B virus (HBV) as well as HBV/hepatitis D virus (HDV) co-infection, the impact of viral escape has been studied in detail only recently.
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2
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Thimme R. T cell immunity to hepatitis C virus: Lessons for a prophylactic vaccine. J Hepatol 2021; 74:220-229. [PMID: 33002569 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is consensus that HCV-specific T cells play a central role in the outcome (clearance vs. persistence) of acute infection and that they contribute to protection against the establishment of persistence after reinfection. However, these T cells often fail and the virus can persist, largely as a result of T cell exhaustion and the emergence of viral escape mutations. Importantly, HCV cure by direct-acting antivirals does not lead to a complete reversion of T cell exhaustion and thus HCV reinfections can occur. The current lack of detailed knowledge about the immunological determinants of viral clearance, persistence and protective immunity is a major roadblock to the development of a prophylactic T cell vaccine. This minireview highlights the basic concepts of successful T cell immunity, major mechanisms of T cell failure and how our understanding of these concepts can be translated into a prophylactic vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Thimme
- Department of Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Infectious Diseases, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Germany.
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3
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Immune system control of hepatitis C virus infection. Curr Opin Virol 2020; 46:36-44. [PMID: 33137689 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a global public health problem even though more than 95% of infections can be cured by treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents. Resolution of viremia post antiviral therapy does not lead to protective immunity and therefore reinfections can occur. Immune cell detection of HCV activates signaling pathways that produce interferons and trigger the innate immune response against the virus, preventing HCV replication and spread. Cells in the innate immune system, including natural killer, dendritic, and Kupffer cells, interact with infected hepatocytes and present viral antigens to T and B cells where their effector responses contribute to infection outcome. Despite the immune activation, HCV can evade the host response and establish persistent infection. Plans to understand the correlates of protection and strategies to activate proper innate and adaptive immune responses are needed for development of an effective prophylactic vaccine that stimulates protective immunity and limits HCV transmission.
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4
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Lymphocyte Landscape after Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Cure: The New Normal. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207473. [PMID: 33050486 PMCID: PMC7589490 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic HCV (CHC) infection is the only chronic viral infection for which curative treatments have been discovered. These direct acting antiviral (DAA) agents target specific steps in the viral replication cycle with remarkable efficacy and result in sustained virologic response (SVR) or cure in high (>95%) proportions of patients. These treatments became available 6–7 years ago and it is estimated that their real impact on HCV related morbidity, including outcomes such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), will not be known for the next decade or so. The immune system of a chronically infected patient is severely dysregulated and questions remain regarding the immune system’s capacity in limiting liver pathology in a cured individual. Another important consequence of impaired immunity in patients cleared of HCV with DAA will be the inability to generate protective immunity against possible re-infection, necessitating retreatments or developing a prophylactic vaccine. Thus, the impact of viral clearance on restoring immune homeostasis is being investigated by many groups. Among the important questions that need to be answered are how much the immune system normalizes with cure, how long after viral clearance this recalibration occurs, what are the consequences of persisting immune defects for protection from re-infection in vulnerable populations, and does viral clearance reduce liver pathology and the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in individuals cured with these agents. Here, we review the recent literature that describes the defects present in various lymphocyte populations in a CHC patient and their status after viral clearance using DAA treatments.
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5
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Wijaya RS, Read SA, Selvamani SP, Schibeci S, Azardaryany MK, Ong A, van der Poorten D, Lin R, Douglas MW, George J, Ahlenstiel G. Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Eradication With Interferon-Free Direct-Acting Antiviral-Based Therapy Results in KLRG1+ HCV-Specific Memory Natural Killer Cells. J Infect Dis 2020; 223:1183-1195. [PMID: 32777077 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct acting antiviral therapies rapidly clear chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and restore natural killer (NK) cell function. We investigated NK-cell memory formation following HCV clearance by examining NK-cell phenotype and responses from control and chronic HCV patients before and after therapy following sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post therapy (SVR12). NK-cell phenotype at SVR12 differed significantly from paired pretreatment samples, with an increase in maturation markers CD16, CD57, and KLRG1. HCV patients possessed stronger cytotoxic responses against HCV-infected cells as compared to healthy controls; a response that further increased following SVR12. The antigen-specific response was mediated by KLRG1+ NK cells, as demonstrated by increased degranulation and proliferation in response to HCV antigen only. Our data suggest that KLRG1+ HCV-specific memory NK cells develop following viral infection, providing insight into their role in HCV clearance and relevance with regard to vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratna S Wijaya
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Pelita Harapan University, Tangerang, Indonesia
| | - Scott A Read
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Blacktown Medical School, Western Sydney University, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia.,Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sakthi P Selvamani
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephen Schibeci
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mahmoud K Azardaryany
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Adrian Ong
- Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Rita Lin
- Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark W Douglas
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Golo Ahlenstiel
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Blacktown Medical School, Western Sydney University, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia.,Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
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6
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Osuch S, Metzner KJ, Caraballo Cortés K. Reversal of T Cell Exhaustion in Chronic HCV Infection. Viruses 2020; 12:v12080799. [PMID: 32722372 PMCID: PMC7472290 DOI: 10.3390/v12080799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The long-term consequences of T cell responses’ impairment in chronic HCV infection are not entirely characterized, although they may be essential in the context of the clinical course of infection, re-infection, treatment-mediated viral clearance and vaccine design. Furthermore, it is unclear whether a complete reinvigoration of HCV-specific T cell response may be feasible. In most studies, attempting to reverse the effects of compromised immune response quality by specific blockades of negative immune regulators, a restoration of functional competence of HCV-specific T cells was shown. This implies that HCV-induced immune dysfunction may be reversible. The advent of highly successful, direct-acting antiviral treatment (DAA) for chronic HCV infection instigated investigation whether the treatment-driven elimination of viral antigens restores T cell function. Most of studies demonstrated that DAA treatment may result in at least partial restoration of T cell immune function. They also suggest that a complete restoration comparable to that seen after spontaneous viral clearance may not be attained, pointing out that long-term antigenic stimulation imprints an irreversible change on the T cell compartment. Understanding the mechanisms of HCV-induced immune dysfunction and barriers to immune restoration following viral clearance is of utmost importance to diminish the possible long-term consequences of chronic HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Osuch
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Karin J. Metzner
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kamila Caraballo Cortés
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-22-572-07-09; Fax: +48-22-883-10-60
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7
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Han JW, Sung PS, Hong SH, Lee H, Koh JY, Lee H, White S, Maslow JN, Weiner DB, Park SH, Jeong M, Heo J, Ahn SH, Shin EC. IFNL3-adjuvanted HCV DNA vaccine reduces regulatory T cell frequency and increases virus-specific T cell responses. J Hepatol 2020; 73:72-83. [PMID: 32088322 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Although direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment results in a sustained virologic response (SVR) in most patients with chronic HCV infection, they are at risk of re-infection. Moreover, the immune system is not completely normalized even after SVR (e.g. increased regulatory T [Treg] cell frequency). We developed a DNA vaccine, GLS-6150, to prevent re-infection of patients with DAA-induced SVR and evaluated its safety and immunogenicity in individuals with chronic HCV infection. METHODS GLS-6150 consists of plasmids encoding HCV non-structural proteins (NS3-NS5A) and adjuvant IFNL3. The vaccine was administered 4 times at 4-weekly intervals to 3 groups (1, 3, or 6 mg/vaccination; n = 6 per group), followed by a 6 mg boost at 24 weeks (n = 14). Peripheral blood T cell responses were evaluated by interferon (IFN)-γ enzyme-linked immunospot assays, intracellular cytokine staining, and major histocompatibility complex class-I (MHC-I) dextramer staining. Treg cell frequency was assessed by flow cytometry. RESULTS Severe adverse events or vaccine discontinuation were not reported. The IFN-γ spot-forming cells specific to NS3-NS5A were increased by GLS-6150. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells produced multiple cytokines. However, the frequency and phenotype of HCV-specific MHC-I dextramer+CD8+ T cells were not changed. Interestingly, the frequency of Treg cells, particularly activated Treg cells, was decreased by GLS-6150, as expected from previous reports that IFNL3 adjuvants decrease Treg cell frequency. Ex vivo IFN-λ3 treatment reduced Treg frequency in pre-vaccination peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Finally, Treg cell frequency inversely correlated with HCV-specific, IFN-γ-producing T cell responses in the study participants. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that GLS-6150 decreases Treg cell frequency and enhances HCV-specific T cell responses without significant side effects. A phase I clinical trial of GLS-6150 is currently underway in patients with DAA-induced SVR. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER NCT02027116. LAY SUMMARY Although direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are successfully used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a prophylactic HCV vaccine needs to be developed, especially for patients who achieve a sustained virologic response. In the current study, we show that a DNA vaccine (GLS-6150) was safe and increased HCV-specific T cell responses. A clinical trial is underway to test this vaccine in patients with a sustained virologic response following DAA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Won Han
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Pil Soo Sung
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Hui Hong
- Biomedical Science and Engineering Interdisciplinary Program, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoyoung Lee
- Biomedical Science and Engineering Interdisciplinary Program, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - June Young Koh
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyojin Lee
- GeneOne Life Science, Inc., Seoul 06060, Republic of Korea
| | - Scott White
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA
| | - Joel N Maslow
- GeneOne Life Science, Inc., Seoul 06060, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Su-Hyung Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Science and Engineering Interdisciplinary Program, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Moonsup Jeong
- GeneOne Life Science, Inc., Seoul 06060, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Heo
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sang Hoon Ahn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Eui-Cheol Shin
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Science and Engineering Interdisciplinary Program, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Masalova OV, Lesnova EI, Klimova RR, Momotyuk ED, Kozlov VV, Ivanova AM, Payushina OV, Butorina NN, Zakirova NF, Narovlyansky AN, Pronin AV, Ivanov AV, Kushch AA. Genetically Modified Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cells Expressing Non-Structural Proteins of Hepatitis C Virus Induce Effective Immune Response. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:E62. [PMID: 32024236 PMCID: PMC7158691 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major causes of chronic liver disease and leads to cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. Despite extensive research, there is still no vaccine against HCV. In order to induce an immune response in DBA/2J mice against HCV, we obtained modified mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) simultaneously expressing five nonstructural HCV proteins (NS3-NS5B). The innate immune response to mMSCs was higher than to DNA immunization, with plasmid encoding the same proteins, and to naïve unmodified MSCs. mMSCs triggered strong phagocytic activity, enhanced lymphocyte proliferation, and production of type I and II interferons. The adaptive immune response to mMSCs was also more pronounced than in the case of DNA immunization, as exemplified by a fourfold stronger stimulation of lymphocyte proliferation in response to HCV, a 2.6-fold higher rate of biosynthesis, and a 30-fold higher rate of secretion of IFN-γ, as well as by a 40-fold stronger production of IgG2a antibodies to viral proteins. The immunostimulatory effect of mMSCs was associated with pronounced IL-6 secretion and reduction in the population of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Thus, this is the first example that suggests the feasibility of using mMSCs for the development of an effective anti-HCV vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V. Masalova
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Ekaterina I. Lesnova
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Regina R. Klimova
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Ekaterina D. Momotyuk
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Vyacheslav V. Kozlov
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Alla M. Ivanova
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Olga V. Payushina
- Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow 119991, Russia;
| | - Nina N. Butorina
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia;
| | - Natalia F. Zakirova
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia;
| | - Alexander N. Narovlyansky
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Alexander V. Pronin
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Alexander V. Ivanov
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia;
| | - Alla A. Kushch
- Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 123098, Russia; (E.I.L.); (R.R.K.); (E.D.M.); (V.V.K.); (A.M.I.); (A.N.N.); (A.V.P.); (A.A.K.)
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9
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Barili V, Fisicaro P, Montanini B, Acerbi G, Filippi A, Forleo G, Romualdi C, Ferracin M, Guerrieri F, Pedrazzi G, Boni C, Rossi M, Vecchi A, Penna A, Zecca A, Mori C, Orlandini A, Negri E, Pesci M, Massari M, Missale G, Levrero M, Ottonello S, Ferrari C. Targeting p53 and histone methyltransferases restores exhausted CD8+ T cells in HCV infection. Nat Commun 2020; 11:604. [PMID: 32001678 PMCID: PMC6992697 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14137-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) represents a unique model to characterize, from early to late stages of infection, the T cell differentiation process leading to exhaustion of human CD8+ T cells. Here we show that in early HCV infection, exhaustion-committed virus-specific CD8+ T cells display a marked upregulation of transcription associated with impaired glycolytic and mitochondrial functions, that are linked to enhanced ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and p53 signaling. After evolution to chronic infection, exhaustion of HCV-specific T cell responses is instead characterized by a broad gene downregulation associated with a wide metabolic and anti-viral function impairment, which can be rescued by histone methyltransferase inhibitors. These results have implications not only for treatment of HCV-positive patients not responding to last-generation antivirals, but also for other chronic pathologies associated with T cell dysfunction, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Barili
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Paola Fisicaro
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Barbara Montanini
- Biomolecular, Genomic and Biocomputational Sciences Unit, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Biopharmanet-Tec, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Greta Acerbi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Anita Filippi
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giovanna Forleo
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Manuela Ferracin
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine-DIMES, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Pedrazzi
- Unit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Robust Statistics Academy (Ro.S.A.), University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Carolina Boni
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marzia Rossi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Vecchi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Amalia Penna
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alessandra Zecca
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Cristina Mori
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alessandra Orlandini
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Elisa Negri
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Pesci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Massari
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, IRCCS-Azienda Ospedaliera S. Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Gabriele Missale
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Massimo Levrero
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL)-INSERM U1052, Lyon, France.,Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Service d'Hepatologie et Gastroenterologie Hopital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Ottonello
- Biomolecular, Genomic and Biocomputational Sciences Unit, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Biopharmanet-Tec, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Carlo Ferrari
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. .,Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy.
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10
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Elimination of hepatitis C virus has limited impact on the functional and mitochondrial impairment of HCV-specific CD8+ T cell responses. J Hepatol 2019; 71:889-899. [PMID: 31295532 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD8+ T cells are functionally impaired in chronic hepatitis C. Even though HCV can now be rapidly and sustainably cleared from chronically infected patients, the repercussions of HCV clearance on virus-specific CD8+ T cells remain elusive. Here, we aimed to investigate if HCV clearance by direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) could restore the functionality of exhausted HCV-specific CD8+ T cell responses. METHODS HCV-specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood were obtained from 40 patients with chronic HCV infection, during and 6 months following IFN-free DAA therapy. These cells were analyzed for comprehensive phenotypes, proliferation, cytokine production, mitochondrial fitness and response to immune-checkpoint blockade. RESULTS We show that, unlike activation markers that decreased, surface expression of multiple co-regulatory receptors on exhausted HCV-specific CD8+ T cells remained unaltered after clearance of HCV. Likewise, cytokine production by HCV-specific CD8+ T cells remained impaired following HCV clearance. The proliferative capacity of HCV multimer-specific CD8+ T cells was not restored in the majority of patients. Enhanced in vitro proliferative expansion of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells during HCV clearance was more likely in women, patients with low liver stiffness and low alanine aminotransferase levels in our cohort. Interestingly, HCV-specific CD8+ T cells that did not proliferate following HCV clearance could preferentially re-invigorate their proliferative capacity upon in vitro immune-checkpoint inhibition. Moreover, altered mitochondrial dysfunction exhibited by exhausted HCV-specific CD8+ T cells could not be normalized after HCV clearance. CONCLUSION Taken together, our data implies that exhausted HCV-specific CD8+ T cells remain functionally and metabolically impaired at multiple levels following HCV clearance in most patients with chronic hepatitis C. Our results might have implications in cases of re-infection with HCV and for HCV vaccine development. LAY SUMMARY Direct-acting antiviral therapy results in cure of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in almost all treated patients. However, the impacts of HCV cure on immune responses remain controversial. Whether immune responses to HCV recover is important in cases of re-exposure, or for the resolution of extrahepatic manifestations. The main finding of our study was that HCV-specific T cells remain functionally impaired despite HCV clearance. This finding could explain the fact that HCV cure does not lead to protective immunity and that re-infections have frequently been observed.
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11
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Karimzadeh H, Kiraithe MM, Oberhardt V, Salimi Alizei E, Bockmann J, Schulze Zur Wiesch J, Budeus B, Hoffmann D, Wedemeyer H, Cornberg M, Krawczyk A, Rashidi-Alavijeh J, Rodríguez-Frías F, Casillas R, Buti M, Smedile A, Alavian SM, Heinold A, Emmerich F, Panning M, Gostick E, Price DA, Timm J, Hofmann M, Raziorrouh B, Thimme R, Protzer U, Roggendorf M, Neumann-Haefelin C. Mutations in Hepatitis D Virus Allow It to Escape Detection by CD8 + T Cells and Evolve at the Population Level. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:1820-1833. [PMID: 30768983 PMCID: PMC6486497 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatitis D virus (HDV) superinfection in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with rapid progression to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Treatment options are limited, and no vaccine is available. Although HDV-specific CD8+ T cells are thought to control the virus, little is known about which HDV epitopes are targeted by virus-specific CD8+ T cells or why these cells ultimately fail to control the infection. We aimed to define how HDV escapes the CD8+ T-cell-mediated response. METHODS We collected plasma and DNA samples from 104 patients with chronic HDV and HBV infection at medical centers in Europe and the Middle East, sequenced HDV, typed human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles from patients, and searched for polymorphisms in HDV RNA associated with specific HLA class I alleles. We predicted epitopes in HDV that would be recognized by CD8+ T cells and corresponded with the identified virus polymorphisms in patients with resolved (n = 12) or chronic (n = 13) HDV infection. RESULTS We identified 21 polymorphisms in HDV that were significantly associated with specific HLA class I alleles (P < .005). Five of these polymorphisms were found to correspond to epitopes in HDV that are recognized by CD8+ T cells; we confirmed that CD8+ T cells in culture targeted these HDV epitopes. HDV variant peptides were only partially cross-recognized by CD8+ T cells isolated from patients, indicating that the virus had escaped detection by these cells. These newly identified HDV epitopes were restricted by relatively infrequent HLA class I alleles, and they bound most frequently to HLA-B. In contrast, frequent HLA class I alleles were not associated with HDV sequence polymorphisms. CONCLUSIONS We analyzed sequences of HDV RNA and HLA class I alleles that present epitope peptides to CD8+ T cells in patients with persistent HDV infection. We identified polymorphisms in the HDV proteome that associate with HLA class I alleles. Some variant peptides in epitopes from HDV were only partially recognized by CD8+ T cells isolated from patients; these could be mutations that allow HDV to escape the immune response, resulting in persistent infection. HDV escape from the immune response was associated with uncommon HLA class I alleles, indicating that HDV evolves, at the population level, to evade recognition by common HLA class I alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Karimzadeh
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Munich-Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
| | - Muthamia M Kiraithe
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Valerie Oberhardt
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Elahe Salimi Alizei
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan Bockmann
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Sites Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hannover-Braunschweig and Munich, Germany
| | - Julian Schulze Zur Wiesch
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Sites Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hannover-Braunschweig and Munich, Germany
| | - Bettina Budeus
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Daniel Hoffmann
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Sites Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hannover-Braunschweig and Munich, Germany; Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Sites Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hannover-Braunschweig and Munich, Germany; Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Adalbert Krawczyk
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jassin Rashidi-Alavijeh
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Francisco Rodríguez-Frías
- CIBERehd and Departments of Biochemistry/Microbiology and Hepatology, Vall d'Hebron Hospital, University Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosario Casillas
- CIBERehd and Departments of Biochemistry/Microbiology and Hepatology, Vall d'Hebron Hospital, University Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Buti
- CIBERehd and Departments of Biochemistry/Microbiology and Hepatology, Vall d'Hebron Hospital, University Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonina Smedile
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Seyed Moayed Alavian
- Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Andreas Heinold
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Florian Emmerich
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Panning
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Emma Gostick
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - David A Price
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jörg Timm
- Institute of Virology, Heinrich-Heine-University, University Hospital, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Maike Hofmann
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bijan Raziorrouh
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Munich-Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
| | - Robert Thimme
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Protzer
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Sites Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hannover-Braunschweig and Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Roggendorf
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Sites Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hannover-Braunschweig and Munich, Germany.
| | - Christoph Neumann-Haefelin
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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12
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Chigbu DI, Loonawat R, Sehgal M, Patel D, Jain P. Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Host⁻Virus Interaction and Mechanisms of Viral Persistence. Cells 2019; 8:cells8040376. [PMID: 31027278 PMCID: PMC6523734 DOI: 10.3390/cells8040376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease, in which a third of individuals with chronic HCV infections may develop liver cirrhosis. In a chronic HCV infection, host immune factors along with the actions of HCV proteins that promote viral persistence and dysregulation of the immune system have an impact on immunopathogenesis of HCV-induced hepatitis. The genome of HCV encodes a single polyprotein, which is translated and processed into structural and nonstructural proteins. These HCV proteins are the target of the innate and adaptive immune system of the host. Retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors and Toll-like receptors are the main pattern recognition receptors that recognize HCV pathogen-associated molecular patterns. This interaction results in a downstream cascade that generates antiviral cytokines including interferons. The cytolysis of HCV-infected hepatocytes is mediated by perforin and granzyme B secreted by cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells, whereas noncytolytic HCV clearance is mediated by interferon gamma (IFN-γ) secreted by CTL and NK cells. A host-HCV interaction determines whether the acute phase of an HCV infection will undergo complete resolution or progress to the development of viral persistence with a consequential progression to chronic HCV infection. Furthermore, these host-HCV interactions could pose a challenge to developing an HCV vaccine. This review will focus on the role of the innate and adaptive immunity in HCV infection, the failure of the immune response to clear an HCV infection, and the factors that promote viral persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeGaulle I Chigbu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 West Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
- Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, Elkins Park, PA 19027, USA.
| | - Ronak Loonawat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 West Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
| | - Mohit Sehgal
- Immunology, Microenvironment & Metastasis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Dip Patel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 West Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
| | - Pooja Jain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 West Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
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13
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Rehermann B, Thimme R. Insights From Antiviral Therapy Into Immune Responses to Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:369-383. [PMID: 30267712 PMCID: PMC6340757 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.08.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2018] [Revised: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
There are 257 million persons worldwide with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a leading causes of liver cancer. Almost all adults with acute HBV infection have a rapid immune response to the virus, resulting in life-long immunity, but there is no cure for individuals with chronic HBV infection, which they acquire during early life. The mechanisms that drive the progression of HBV through distinct clinical phases to end-stage liver disease are poorly understood. Likewise, it is not clear whether and how immune responses can be modulated to allow control and/or clearance of intrahepatic HBV DNA. We review the innate and adaptive immune responses to acute and chronic HBV infections and responses to antiviral therapy. Comparisons with hepatitis C virus infection provide insights into the reversibility of innate inflammatory responses and the potential for successful therapy to recover virus-specific memory immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Rehermann
- Immunology Section, Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Robert Thimme
- Klinik für Innere Medizin II, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Hugstetter Straße 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
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14
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Shoukry NH. Hepatitis C Vaccines, Antibodies, and T Cells. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1480. [PMID: 30002657 PMCID: PMC6031729 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of vaccines that protect against persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remain a public health priority. The broad use of highly effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) is unlikely to achieve HCV elimination without vaccines that can limit viral transmission. Two vaccines targeting either the antibody or the T cell response are currently in preclinical or clinical trials. Next-generation vaccines will likely involve a combination of these two strategies. This review summarizes the state of knowledge about the immune protective role of HCV-specific antibodies and T cells and the current vaccine strategies. In addition, it discusses the potential efficacy of vaccination in DAA-cured individuals. Finally, it summarizes the challenges to vaccine development and the collaborative efforts required to overcome them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naglaa H Shoukry
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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15
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Mysore KR, Ghobrial RM, Kannanganat S, Minze LJ, Graviss EA, Nguyen DT, Perez KK, Li XC. Longitudinal assessment of T cell inhibitory receptors in liver transplant recipients and their association with posttransplant infections. Am J Transplant 2018; 18:351-363. [PMID: 29068155 PMCID: PMC5790618 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.14546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Current immunosuppression regimens in organ transplantation primarily inhibit T cells. However, T cells are also critical in protective immunity, especially in immune-compromised patients. In this study, we examined the association of T cell dysfunction, as marked by expression of T cell exhaustion molecules, and posttransplant infections in a cohort of liver transplant patients. We focused on Programmed Death 1 (PD-1) and T cell Ig- and mucin-domain molecule 3 (Tim-3), which are potent co-inhibitory receptors, and their persistent expression often leads to T cell dysfunction and compromised protective immunity. We found that patients with the highest expression of PD-1 +Tim-3+ T cells in the memory compartment before transplantation had increased incidence of infections after liver transplantation, especially within the first 90 days. Longitudinal analysis in the first year showed a strong association between variability of PD-1 and Tim-3 expression by T cells and infectious episodes in transplant patients. Furthermore, T cells that expressed PD-1 and Tim-3 had a significantly reduced capacity in producing interferon (IFN)-γ in vitro, and this reduced IFN-γ production could be partially reversed by blocking PD-1 and Tim-3. Interestingly, the percentage of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in liver transplant patients was stable in the study period. We concluded that the functional status of T cells before and after liver transplantation, as shown by PD-1 and Tim-3 expression, may be valuable in prognosis and management of posttransplant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krupa R. Mysore
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - Rafik M. Ghobrial
- Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - Sunil Kannanganat
- Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - Laurie J. Minze
- Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - Edward A. Graviss
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| | - Duc T. Nguyen
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Xian C. Li
- Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
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16
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects more than 170 million people worldwide and is the main cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the newly developed direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have transformed the treatment of HCV infection, controlling HCV infection on a global scale remains a challenge because of the high cost, low resistance barrier of DAAs and lack of HCV vaccine. The host immune responses associated with HCV infection, especially HCV-specific T cellular immunity, determine the outcome of HCV infection: either acute or chronic infection. It is important to fully interpret the immunopathogenesis of HCV infection and consequently to exploit effective strategies to eliminate HCV. Here, we review the current progress in HCV immunology, which will deepen our understanding of the spectrum of HCV infection and immunity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jijing Shi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China
| | | | - Xuexiu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 460000, China
| | - Fu-Sheng Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China.
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17
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Designing an HCV vaccine: a unique convergence of prevention and therapy? Curr Opin Virol 2017; 23:113-119. [PMID: 28550816 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Direct acting antivirals can cure chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but whether they will reduce global liver disease burden is uncertain. Most chronic infections are undiagnosed and transmission has increased in recent years. The first trial of a preventive vaccine is now underway in humans at risk for HCV infection. It will test the novel hypothesis that T cell-mediated immunity alone can prevent persistent HCV infection. Another vaccine that elicits neutralizing antibodies is at an advanced stage of development. Attention is turning to the understudied question of whether direct acting antiviral (DAA) cure of chronic infection restores HCV immunity. If not, it will be important to determine if preventive vaccines can also act therapeutically to reverse immune dysfunction and protect from re-infection.
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18
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Wieland D, Kemming J, Schuch A, Emmerich F, Knolle P, Neumann-Haefelin C, Held W, Zehn D, Hofmann M, Thimme R. TCF1 + hepatitis C virus-specific CD8 + T cells are maintained after cessation of chronic antigen stimulation. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15050. [PMID: 28466857 PMCID: PMC5418623 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
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-PD1hi 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Wieland
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg - Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany.,Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Janine Kemming
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg - Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Anita Schuch
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg - Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Florian Emmerich
- Institute for Cell and Gene Therapy, University Hospital Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Percy Knolle
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technische Universität München, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Ismaningerstr. 22, München 81675, Germany
| | - Christoph Neumann-Haefelin
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg - Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Werner Held
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Department of Fundamental Oncology, University of Lausanne, 155, Ch. Des Boveresses, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Dietmar Zehn
- Division of Animal Physiology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University Munich, Freising, Weihenstephaner Berg 3, Freising 85354, Germany
| | - Maike Hofmann
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg - Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Robert Thimme
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg - Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany
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19
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Rosen HR. "Hep C, where art thou": What are the remaining (fundable) questions in hepatitis C virus research? Hepatology 2017; 65:341-349. [PMID: 27640881 DOI: 10.1002/hep.28848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has dominated the field of hepatology for the past 25 years, and its cure in the majority of treated patients is one of the greatest achievements in all of medicine. However, the latter has led to the belief by some that HCV research should be shelved for other, more pressing areas. The mission for HCV eradication is far from accomplished. As a historical reference, we should consider that disease elimination has required vaccination with all previously controlled infections including smallpox and polio and that simple, effective treatment is not sufficient in most infections to lead to substantial control. Syphilis is the best example, for which a single dose of penicillin (which literally costs pennies and that we have had since 1945) is curative in early stages. Not only have we not eradicated syphilis, rates of infection have increased in many places within the United States in recent years. Most HCV-infected subjects are unaware of their infection, remaining at risk for transmission to others and disease progression, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In the era of highly effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), many questions pertaining to HCV remain, but they are more complex and difficult to answer. Here, I provide my perspective on some of these salient issues: the residual risk for disease progression after sustained virologic response, the optimal approach to current DAA failures, the impact of targeting people who inject drugs with DAAs, vaccine prospects, and application of neutralizing HCV glycoprotein antibodies. (Hepatology 2017;65:341-349).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Ramón Rosen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (B-158), Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO
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20
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Swadling L, Halliday J, Kelly C, Brown A, Capone S, Ansari MA, Bonsall D, Richardson R, Hartnell F, Collier J, Ammendola V, Del Sorbo M, Von Delft A, Traboni C, Hill AVS, Colloca S, Nicosia A, Cortese R, Klenerman P, Folgori A, Barnes E. Highly-Immunogenic Virally-Vectored T-cell Vaccines Cannot Overcome Subversion of the T-cell Response by HCV during Chronic Infection. Vaccines (Basel) 2016; 4:E27. [PMID: 27490575 PMCID: PMC5041021 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines4030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
An effective therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, as an adjunct to newly developed directly-acting antivirals (DAA), or for the prevention of reinfection, would significantly reduce the global burden of disease associated with chronic HCV infection. A recombinant chimpanzee adenoviral (ChAd3) vector and a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA), encoding the non-structural proteins of HCV (NSmut), used in a heterologous prime/boost regimen induced multi-specific, high-magnitude, durable HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in healthy volunteers, and was more immunogenic than a heterologous Ad regimen. We now assess the immunogenicity of this vaccine regimen in HCV infected patients (including patients with a low viral load suppressed with interferon/ribavirin therapy), determine T-cell cross-reactivity to endogenous virus, and compare immunogenicity with that observed previously in both healthy volunteers and in HCV infected patients vaccinated with the heterologous Ad regimen. Vaccination of HCV infected patients with ChAd3-NSmut/MVA-NSmut was well tolerated. Vaccine-induced HCV-specific T-cell responses were detected in 8/12 patients; however, CD4+ T-cell responses were rarely detected, and the overall magnitude of HCV-specific T-cell responses was markedly reduced when compared to vaccinated healthy volunteers. Furthermore, HCV-specific cells had a distinct partially-functional phenotype (lower expression of activation markers, granzyme B, and TNFα production, weaker in vitro proliferation, and higher Tim3 expression, with comparable Tbet and Eomes expression) compared to healthy volunteers. Robust anti-vector T-cells and antibodies were induced, showing that there is no global defect in immunity. The level of viremia at the time of vaccination did not correlate with the magnitude of the vaccine-induced T-cell response. Full-length, next-generation sequencing of the circulating virus demonstrated that T-cells were only induced by vaccination when there was a sequence mismatch between the autologous virus and the vaccine immunogen. However, these T-cells were not cross-reactive with the endogenous viral variant epitopes. Conversely, when there was complete homology between the immunogen and circulating virus at a given epitope T-cells were not induced. T-cell induction following vaccination had no significant impact on HCV viral load. In vitro T-cell culture experiments identified the presence of T-cells at baseline that could be expanded by vaccination; thus, HCV-specific T-cells may have been expanded from pre-existing low-level memory T-cell populations that had been exposed to HCV antigens during natural infection, explaining the partial T-cell dysfunction. In conclusion, vaccination with ChAd3-NSmut and MVA-NSmut prime/boost, a potent vaccine regimen previously optimized in healthy volunteers was unable to reconstitute HCV-specific T-cell immunity in HCV infected patients. This highlights the major challenge of overcoming T-cell exhaustion in the context of persistent antigen exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Swadling
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - John Halliday
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
- Oxford NIHR BRC, and Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
| | - Christabel Kelly
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
- Oxford NIHR BRC, and Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Anthony Brown
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - Stefania Capone
- Reithera Srl (former Okairos Srl), Viale Città d'Europa, 679, Rome 00144, Italy.
| | - M Azim Ansari
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - David Bonsall
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - Rachel Richardson
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - Felicity Hartnell
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - Jane Collier
- Oxford NIHR BRC, and Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Virginia Ammendola
- Reithera Srl (former Okairos Srl), Viale Città d'Europa, 679, Rome 00144, Italy.
| | | | - Annette Von Delft
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - Cinzia Traboni
- Reithera Srl (former Okairos Srl), Viale Città d'Europa, 679, Rome 00144, Italy.
| | - Adrian V S Hill
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
| | - Stefano Colloca
- Reithera Srl (former Okairos Srl), Viale Città d'Europa, 679, Rome 00144, Italy.
| | - Alfredo Nicosia
- Reithera Srl (former Okairos Srl), Viale Città d'Europa, 679, Rome 00144, Italy.
- CEINGE, via Gaetano Salvatore 486, Naples 80145, Italy.
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, Naples 80131, Italy.
| | | | - Paul Klenerman
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
- Oxford NIHR BRC, and Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
| | - Antonella Folgori
- Reithera Srl (former Okairos Srl), Viale Città d'Europa, 679, Rome 00144, Italy.
| | - Eleanor Barnes
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
- Oxford NIHR BRC, and Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
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21
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Wieland D, Thimme R. Vaccine-induced hepatitis C virus-specific CD8+ T cells do not always help. Hepatology 2016; 63:1411-4. [PMID: 26662626 DOI: 10.1002/hep.28388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Wieland
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert Thimme
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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