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Coulon PG, Prakash S, Dhanushkodi NR, Srivastava R, Zayou L, Tifrea DF, Edwards RA, Figueroa CJ, Schubl SD, Hsieh L, Nesburn AB, Kuppermann BD, Bahraoui E, Vahed H, Gil D, Jones TM, Ulmer JB, BenMohamed L. High frequencies of alpha common cold coronavirus/SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive functional CD4 + and CD8 + memory T cells are associated with protection from symptomatic and fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1343716. [PMID: 38605956 PMCID: PMC11007208 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1343716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are present in up to 50% of unexposed, pre-pandemic, healthy individuals (UPPHIs). However, the characteristics of cross-reactive memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells associated with subsequent protection of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients (i.e., unvaccinated individuals who never develop any COVID-19 symptoms despite being infected with SARS-CoV-2) remains to be fully elucidated. Methods This study compares the antigen specificity, frequency, phenotype, and function of cross-reactive memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between common cold coronaviruses (CCCs) and SARS-CoV-2. T-cell responses against genome-wide conserved epitopes were studied early in the disease course in a cohort of 147 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients who were divided into six groups based on the severity of their symptoms. Results Compared to severely ill COVID-19 patients and patients with fatal COVID-19 outcomes, the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients displayed significantly: (i) higher rates of co-infection with the 229E alpha species of CCCs (α-CCC-229E); (ii) higher frequencies of cross-reactive functional CD134+CD137+CD4+ and CD134+CD137+CD8+ T cells that cross-recognized conserved epitopes from α-CCCs and SARS-CoV-2 structural, non-structural, and accessory proteins; and (iii) lower frequencies of CCCs/SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive exhausted PD-1+TIM3+TIGIT+CTLA4+CD4+ and PD-1+TIM3+TIGIT+CTLA4+CD8+ T cells, detected both ex vivo and in vitro. Conclusions These findings (i) support a crucial role of functional, poly-antigenic α-CCCs/SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, induced following previous CCCs seasonal exposures, in protection against subsequent severe COVID-19 disease and (ii) provide critical insights into developing broadly protective, multi-antigen, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cell-based, universal pan-Coronavirus vaccines capable of conferring cross-species protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Gregoire Coulon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Nisha R. Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Ruchi Srivastava
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Latifa Zayou
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Delia F. Tifrea
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Robert A. Edwards
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Cesar J. Figueroa
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Trauma, Burns and Critical Care, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Sebastian D. Schubl
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Trauma, Burns and Critical Care, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Lanny Hsieh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospitalist Program, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Anthony B. Nesburn
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Baruch D. Kuppermann
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | | | - Hawa Vahed
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Daniel Gil
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Trevor M. Jones
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jeffrey B. Ulmer
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Université Paul Sabatier, Infinity, Inserm, Toulouse, France
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA, United States
- Institute for Immunology, The University of California Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Cankat S, Demael MU, Swadling L. In search of a pan-coronavirus vaccine: next-generation vaccine design and immune mechanisms. Cell Mol Immunol 2024; 21:103-118. [PMID: 38148330 PMCID: PMC10805787 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01116-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the coronaviridae family are endemic to human populations and have caused several epidemics and pandemics in recent history. In this review, we will discuss the feasibility of and progress toward the ultimate goal of creating a pan-coronavirus vaccine that can protect against infection and disease by all members of the coronavirus family. We will detail the unmet clinical need associated with the continued transmission of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and the four seasonal coronaviruses (HCoV-OC43, NL63, HKU1 and 229E) in humans and the potential for future zoonotic coronaviruses. We will highlight how first-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and natural history studies have greatly increased our understanding of effective antiviral immunity to coronaviruses and have informed next-generation vaccine design. We will then consider the ideal properties of a pan-coronavirus vaccine and propose a blueprint for the type of immunity that may offer cross-protection. Finally, we will describe a subset of the diverse technologies and novel approaches being pursued with the goal of developing broadly or universally protective vaccines for coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cankat
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, Pears Building, London, NW3 2PP, UK
| | - M U Demael
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, Pears Building, London, NW3 2PP, UK
| | - L Swadling
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, Pears Building, London, NW3 2PP, UK.
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Zayou L, Prakash S, Dhanushkodi NR, Quadiri A, Ibraim IC, Singer M, Salem A, Shaik AM, Suzer B, Chilukuri A, Tran J, Nguyen PC, Sun M, Hormi-Carver KK, Belmouden A, Vahed H, Gil D, Ulmer JB, BenMohamed L. A multi-epitope/CXCL11 prime/pull coronavirus mucosal vaccine boosts the frequency and the function of lung-resident memory CD4 + and CD8 + T cells and enhanced protection against COVID-19-like symptoms and death caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. J Virol 2023; 97:e0109623. [PMID: 38038432 PMCID: PMC10734477 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01096-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Although the current rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections has decreased significantly, COVID-19 still ranks very high as a cause of death worldwide. As of October 2023, the weekly mortality rate is still at 600 deaths in the United States alone, which surpasses even the worst mortality rates recorded for influenza. Thus, the long-term outlook of COVID-19 is still a serious concern outlining the need for the next-generation vaccine. This study found that a prime/pull coronavirus vaccine strategy increased the frequency of functional SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells in the lungs of SARS-CoV-2-infected triple transgenic HLA-DR*0101/HLA-A*0201/hACE2 mouse model, thereby resulting in low viral titer and reduced COVID-19-like symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Latifa Zayou
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Swayam Prakash
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Nisha Rajeswari Dhanushkodi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Afshana Quadiri
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Izabela Coimbra Ibraim
- High containment facility, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Mahmoud Singer
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Amirah Salem
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Amin Mohammed Shaik
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Berfin Suzer
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Amruth Chilukuri
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Jennifer Tran
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Pauline Chau Nguyen
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Miyo Sun
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Kathy K. Hormi-Carver
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Ahmed Belmouden
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Hawa Vahed
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Daniel Gil
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey B. Ulmer
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Lbachir BenMohamed
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Vaccines and Immunotherapies, TechImmune, LLC, University Lab Partners, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
- Institute for Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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