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Kar M, Johnson KEE, Vanderheiden A, Elrod EJ, Floyd K, Geerling E, Stone ET, Salinas E, Banakis S, Wang W, Sathish S, Shrihari S, Davis-Gardner ME, Kohlmeier J, Pinto A, Klein R, Grakoui A, Ghedin E, Suthar MS. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are required to prevent SARS-CoV-2 persistence in the nasal compartment. bioRxiv 2024:2024.01.23.576505. [PMID: 38410446 PMCID: PMC10896337 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19 and continues to pose a significant public health threat throughout the world. Following SARS-CoV-2 infection, virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are rapidly generated to form effector and memory cells and persist in the blood for several months. However, the contribution of T cells in controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection within the respiratory tract are not well understood. Using C57BL/6 mice infected with a naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.351), we evaluated the role of T cells in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Following infection, SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are recruited to the respiratory tract and a vast proportion secrete the cytotoxic molecule Granzyme B. Using antibodies to deplete T cells prior to infection, we found that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play distinct roles in the upper and lower respiratory tract. In the lungs, T cells play a minimal role in viral control with viral clearance occurring in the absence of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells through 28 days post-infection. In the nasal compartment, depletion of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but not individually, results in persistent and culturable virus replicating in the nasal compartment through 28 days post-infection. Using in situ hybridization, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection persisted in the nasal epithelial layer of tandem CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-depleted mice. Sequence analysis of virus isolates from persistently infected mice revealed mutations spanning across the genome, including a deletion in ORF6. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of T cells in controlling virus replication within the respiratory tract during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Dickson A, Geerling E, Stone ET, Hassert M, Steffen TL, Makkena T, Smither M, Schwetye KE, Zhang J, Georges B, Roberts MS, Suschak JJ, Pinto AK, Brien JD. The role of vaccination route with an adenovirus-vectored vaccine in protection, viral control, and transmission in the SARS-CoV-2/K18-hACE2 mouse infection model. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1188392. [PMID: 37662899 PMCID: PMC10469340 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1188392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Vaccination is the most effective mechanism to prevent severe COVID-19. However, breakthrough infections and subsequent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remain a significant problem. Intranasal vaccination has the potential to be more effective in preventing disease and limiting transmission between individuals as it induces potent responses at mucosal sites. Methods Utilizing a replication-deficient adenovirus serotype 5-vectored vaccine expressing the SARS-CoV-2 RBD (AdCOVID) in homozygous and heterozygous transgenic K18-hACE2, we investigated the impact of the route of administration on vaccine immunogenicity, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and survival. Results Mice vaccinated with AdCOVID via the intramuscular or intranasal route and subsequently challenged with SARS-CoV-2 showed that animals vaccinated intranasally had improved cellular and mucosal antibody responses. Additionally, intranasally vaccinated animals had significantly better viremic control, and protection from lethal infection compared to intramuscularly vaccinated animals. Notably, in a novel transmission model, intranasal vaccination reduced viral transmission to naïve co-housed mice compared to intramuscular vaccination. Discussion Our data provide convincing evidence for the use of intranasal vaccination in protecting against SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria Dickson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Tara L. Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Taneesh Makkena
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Madeleine Smither
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Katherine E. Schwetye
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
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Geerling E, Hameed M, Weger-Lucarelli J, Pinto AK. Metabolic syndrome and aberrant immune responses to viral infection and vaccination: Insights from small animal models. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1015563. [PMID: 36532060 PMCID: PMC9747772 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1015563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
This review outlines the propensity for metabolic syndrome (MetS) to induce elevated disease severity, higher mortality rates post-infection, and poor vaccination outcomes for viral pathogens. MetS is a cluster of conditions including high blood glucose, an increase in circulating low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides, abdominal obesity, and elevated blood pressure which often overlap in their occurrence. MetS diagnoses are on the rise, as reported cases have increased by greater than 35% since 1988, resulting in one-third of United States adults currently diagnosed as MetS patients. In the aftermath of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, a link between MetS and disease severity was established. Since then, numerous studies have been conducted to illuminate the impact of MetS on enhancing virally induced morbidity and dysregulation of the host immune response. These correlative studies have emphasized the need for elucidating the mechanisms by which these alterations occur, and animal studies conducted as early as the 1940s have linked the conditions associated with MetS with enhanced viral disease severity and poor vaccine outcomes. In this review, we provide an overview of the importance of considering overall metabolic health in terms of cholesterolemia, glycemia, triglyceridemia, insulin and other metabolic molecules, along with blood pressure levels and obesity when studying the impact of metabolism-related malignancies on immune function. We highlight the novel insights that small animal models have provided for MetS-associated immune dysfunction following viral infection. Such animal models of aberrant metabolism have paved the way for our current understanding of MetS and its impact on viral disease severity, dysregulated immune responses to viral pathogens, poor vaccination outcomes, and contributions to the emergence of viral variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Muddassar Hameed
- Department of Biomedical Science and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States,Center for Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Department of Biomedical Science and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States,Center for Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States,*Correspondence: Amelia K. Pinto,
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Hameed M, Geerling E, Pinto AK, Miraj I, Weger-Lucarelli J. Immune response to arbovirus infection in obesity. Front Immunol 2022; 13:968582. [PMID: 36466818 PMCID: PMC9716109 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.968582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a global health problem that affects 650 million people worldwide and leads to diverse changes in host immunity. Individuals with obesity experience an increase in the size and the number of adipocytes, which function as an endocrine organ and release various adipocytokines such as leptin and adiponectin that exert wide ranging effects on other cells. In individuals with obesity, macrophages account for up to 40% of adipose tissue (AT) cells, three times more than in adipose tissue (10%) of healthy weight individuals and secrete several cytokines and chemokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, chemokine C-C ligand (CCL)-2, IL-6, CCL5, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, leading to the development of inflammation. Overall, obesity-derived cytokines strongly affect immune responses and make patients with obesity more prone to severe symptoms than patients with a healthy weight. Several epidemiological studies reported a strong association between obesity and severe arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) infections such as dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Sindbis virus (SINV). Recently, experimental investigations found that DENV, WNV, CHIKV and Mayaro virus (MAYV) infections cause worsened disease outcomes in infected diet induced obese (DIO) mice groups compared to infected healthy-weight animals. The mechanisms leading to higher susceptibility to severe infections in individuals with obesity remain unknown, though a better understanding of the causes will help scientists and clinicians develop host directed therapies to treat severe disease. In this review article, we summarize the effects of obesity on the host immune response in the context of arboviral infections. We have outlined that obesity makes the host more susceptible to infectious agents, likely by disrupting the functions of innate and adaptive immune cells. We have also discussed the immune response of DIO mouse models against some important arboviruses such as CHIKV, MAYV, DENV, and WNV. We can speculate that obesity-induced disruption of innate and adaptive immune cell function in arboviral infections ultimately affects the course of arboviral disease. Therefore, further studies are needed to explore the cellular and molecular aspects of immunity that are compromised in obesity during arboviral infections or vaccination, which will be helpful in developing specific therapeutic/prophylactic interventions to prevent immunopathology and disease progression in individuals with obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muddassar Hameed
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Iqra Miraj
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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Geerling E, Murphy V, Mai MC, Stone ET, Casals AG, Hassert M, O’Dea AT, Cao F, Donlin MJ, Elagawany M, Elgendy B, Pardali V, Giannakopoulou E, Zoidis G, Schiavone DV, Berkowitz AJ, Agyemang NB, Murelli RP, Tavis JE, Pinto AK, Brien JD. Metal coordinating inhibitors of Rift Valley fever virus replication. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274266. [PMID: 36112605 PMCID: PMC9481026 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a veterinary and human pathogen and is an agent of bioterrorism concern. Currently, RVFV treatment is limited to supportive care, so new drugs to control RVFV infection are urgently needed. RVFV is a member of the order Bunyavirales, whose replication depends on the enzymatic activity of the viral L protein. Screening for RVFV inhibitors among compounds with divalent cation-coordinating motifs similar to known viral nuclease inhibitors identified 47 novel RVFV inhibitors with selective indexes from 1.1–103 and 50% effective concentrations of 1.2–56 μM in Vero cells, primarily α-Hydroxytropolones and N-Hydroxypyridinediones. Inhibitor activity and selective index was validated in the human cell line A549. To evaluate specificity, select compounds were tested against a second Bunyavirus, La Crosse Virus (LACV), and the flavivirus Zika (ZIKV). These data indicate that the α-Hydroxytropolone and N-Hydroxypyridinedione chemotypes should be investigated in the future to determine their mechanism(s) of action allowing further development as therapeutics for RVFV and LACV, and these chemotypes should be evaluated for activity against related pathogens, including Hantaan virus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Valerie Murphy
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Maria C. Mai
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Andreu Gazquez Casals
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Austin T. O’Dea
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Feng Cao
- John Cochran Division, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Maureen J. Donlin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Mohamed Elagawany
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Bahaa Elgendy
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Vasiliki Pardali
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Erofili Giannakopoulou
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Daniel V. Schiavone
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Alex J. Berkowitz
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Nana B. Agyemang
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Ryan P. Murelli
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - John E. Tavis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Marzan-Rivera N, Serrano-Collazo C, Cruz L, Pantoja P, Ortiz-Rosa A, Arana T, Martinez MI, Burgos AG, Roman C, Mendez LB, Geerling E, Pinto AK, Brien JD, Sariol CA. Infection order outweighs the role of CD4 + T cells in tertiary flavivirus exposure. iScience 2022; 25:104764. [PMID: 35982798 PMCID: PMC9379573 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The link between CD4+ T and B cells during immune responses to DENV and ZIKV and their roles in cross-protection during heterologous infection is an active area of research. Here we used CD4+ lymphocyte depletions to dissect the impact of cellular immunity on humoral responses during a tertiary flavivirus infection in macaques. We show that CD4+ depletion in DENV/ZIKV-primed animals followed by DENV resulted in dysregulated adaptive immune responses. We show a delay in DENV-specific IgM/IgG antibody titers and binding and neutralization in the DENV/ZIKV-primed CD4-depleted animals but not in ZIKV/DENV-primed CD4-depleted animals. This study confirms the critical role of CD4+ cells in priming an early effective humoral response during sequential flavivirus infections. Our work here suggests that the order of flavivirus exposure affects the outcome of a tertiary infection. Our findings have implications for understanding the complex flavivirus immune responses and for the development of effective flavivirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Marzan-Rivera
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
| | - Crisanta Serrano-Collazo
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
| | - Lorna Cruz
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
| | - Petraleigh Pantoja
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
| | - Alexandra Ortiz-Rosa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR 00931, USA
| | - Teresa Arana
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
| | - Melween I. Martinez
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, Toa Baja, PR 00952, USA
| | - Armando G. Burgos
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, Toa Baja, PR 00952, USA
| | - Chiara Roman
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
| | - Loyda B. Mendez
- Department of Science & Technology, Universidad Ana G. Mendez, Recinto de Carolina, Carolina, PR 00985, USA
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 631204, USA
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 631204, USA
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 631204, USA
| | - Carlos A. Sariol
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR 00931, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00935, USA
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7
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Geerling E, Carpenter DH, Schwetye KE, DeBosch B, Pinto A. Metabolic syndrome enhances viral disease severity and reduces vaccine efficacy in mice. The Journal of Immunology 2022. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.125.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions linked by chronic inflammation that increase the risk for comorbidities. Currently, 1/3 of United States adults have MetS. Globally, obesity rates have tripled since 1975, which is notable since it is a criterium used to diagnose MetS. MetS patients show higher mortality post-SARS-CoV-2 infection and poor vaccination outcomes following influenza virus vaccination when compared to metabolically healthy humans. However, the mechanisms driving MetS-induced immune dysfunction are unknown. Based on previously published work, we hypothesize that MetS-associated chronic inflammation alters programming of adaptive immune cells critical for viral control, thus enhancing disease severity and reducing vaccine efficacy. To challenge this, we use West Nile virus and SARS-CoV-2 in MetS murine models. By infecting or vaccinating chow fed wild type (WT) and high fat diet induced MetS mice, we compared immune responses over time. Our results indicate that MetS mice have higher mortality post infection, heightened viral titers, severe organ pathology, dysfunctional T and B cell responses and reduced neutralizing antibody efficacy when compared to WT mice. Further, MetS alters antibody and T cell responses post-vaccination, rendering vaccination insufficient for protecting against severe viral disease. Our results imply that MetS enhances viral disease severity and reduces vaccine efficacy. Ongoing studies in our lab are focused on determining the mechanism by which MetS alters adaptive immune cell function, with our data implicating chronic inflammation as an inducer of immune cell epigenetic changes that alter their differentiation landscapes and consequently effector functions.
Supported by grants from NIH (R01 12781495) and DoD (USAMRDCPR192269).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Katherine E Schwetye
- 3Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington Univ. in St. Louis Sch. of Med
| | - Brian DeBosch
- 4Diabetes Research Center, Washington Univ. in St. Louis Sch. of Med
| | - Amelia Pinto
- 1Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, St. Louis Univ., Sch. of Med
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Stone ET, Hassert M, Geerling E, Wagner C, Brien J, Ebel G, Hirsch A, German C, Smith J, Pinto AK. Requirement for robust T and B cell responses for immune protection against Powassan virus (POWV) in virus-like particle (VLP) vaccination. The Journal of Immunology 2022. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.126.43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne pathogen for which humans are an incidental host. POWV infection can be fatal or result in long-term neurological sequelae; however, there are no approved vaccinations for POWV. Integral to efficacious vaccine development is the identification of correlates of immune protection, which we accomplished in this study by utilizing a murine model of POWV infection. Using POWV lethal and sub-lethal challenge models, we show that 1) robust B and T cell responses are necessary for immune protection, 2) POWV lethality can be attributed to both viral- and host-mediated drivers of disease and 3) knowledge of the immune correlates of protection against POWV can be applied in a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccination approach that provides protection from lethal POWV challenge. We also provide evidence that POWV-experienced CD8+ T cells may potentiate immune-mediated pathogenesis during infection. Identification of beneficial and detrimental aspects of POWV-immune protection is significant as it will aid in the rational design of POWV vaccines.
This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID): 5R01AI152192-02, 5R01AI137424-03 and F31AI152460-01. This research was also supported in part by the Department of Defense (Award#: PR192269). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
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Stone ET, Hassert M, Geerling E, Wagner C, Brien JD, Ebel GD, Hirsch AJ, German C, Smith JL, Pinto AK. Balanced T and B cell responses are required for immune protection against Powassan virus in virus-like particle vaccination. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110388. [PMID: 35172138 PMCID: PMC8919300 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne pathogen for which humans are an incidental host. POWV infection can be fatal or result in long-term neurological sequelae; however, there are no approved vaccinations for POWV. Integral to efficacious vaccine development is the identification of correlates of protection, which we accomplished in this study by utilizing a murine model of POWV infection. Using POWV lethal and sub-lethal challenge models, we show that (1) robust B and T cell responses are necessary for immune protection, (2) POWV lethality can be attributed to both viral- and host-mediated drivers of disease, and (3) knowledge of the immune correlates of protection against POWV can be applied in a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccination approach that provides protection from lethal POWV challenge. Identification of these immune protection factors is significant as it will aid in the rational design of POWV vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Colleen Wagner
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - James D Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Gregory D Ebel
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Alec J Hirsch
- The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Division of Pathobiology & Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Cody German
- The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Division of Pathobiology & Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Jessica L Smith
- The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Division of Pathobiology & Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
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10
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Geerling E, Pinski AN, Stone TE, DiPaolo RJ, Zulu MZ, Maroney KJ, Brien JD, Messaoudi I, Pinto AK. Roles of antiviral sensing and type I interferon signaling in the restriction of SARS-CoV-2 replication. iScience 2022; 25:103553. [PMID: 34877479 PMCID: PMC8639477 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019. Few studies have compared replication dynamics and host responses to SARS-CoV-2 in cell lines from different tissues and species. Therefore, we investigated the role of tissue type and antiviral genes during SARS-CoV-2 infection in nonhuman primate (kidney) and human (liver, respiratory epithelial, gastric) cell lines. We report different viral growth kinetics and release among the cell lines despite comparable ACE2 expression. Transcriptomics revealed that absence of STAT1 in nonhuman primate cells appeared to enhance inflammatory responses without effecting infectious viral titer. Deletion of RL-6 in respiratory epithelial cells increased viral replication. Impaired infectious virus release was detected in Huh7 but not Huh7.5 cells, suggesting a role for RIG1. Gastric cells MKN45 exhibited robust antiviral gene expression and supported viral replication. Data here provide insight into molecular pathogenesis of and alternative cell lines for studying SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Amanda N. Pinski
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Taylor E. Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Richard J. DiPaolo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Michael Z. Zulu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Kevin J. Maroney
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Ilhem Messaoudi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA
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11
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Pike DP, McGuffee RM, Geerling E, Albert CJ, Hoft DF, Shashaty MGS, Meyer NJ, Pinto AK, Ford DA. Plasmalogen Loss in Sepsis and SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:912880. [PMID: 35784479 PMCID: PMC9242022 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.912880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmalogens are plasma-borne antioxidant phospholipid species that provide protection as cellular lipid components during cellular oxidative stress. In this study we investigated plasma plasmalogen levels in human sepsis as well as in rodent models of infection. In humans, levels of multiple plasmenylethanolamine molecular species were decreased in septic patient plasma compared to control subject plasma as well as an age-aligned control subject cohort. Additionally, lysoplasmenylcholine levels were significantly decreased in septic patients compared to the control cohorts. In contrast, plasma diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine levels were elevated in septic patients. Lipid changes were also determined in rats subjected to cecal slurry sepsis. Plasma plasmenylcholine, plasmenylethanolamine, and lysoplasmenylcholine levels were decreased while diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine levels were increased in septic rats compared to control treated rats. Kidney levels of lysoplasmenylcholine as well as plasmenylethanolamine molecular species were decreased in septic rats. Interestingly, liver plasmenylcholine and plasmenylethanolamine levels were increased in septic rats. Since COVID-19 is associated with sepsis-like acute respiratory distress syndrome and oxidative stress, plasmalogen levels were also determined in a mouse model of COVID-19 (intranasal inoculation of K18 mice with SARS-CoV-2). 3 days following infection, lung infection was confirmed as well as cytokine expression in the lung. Multiple molecular species of lung plasmenylcholine and plasmenylethanolamine were decreased in infected mice. In contrast, the predominant lung phospholipid, dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, was not decreased following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally total plasmenylcholine levels were decreased in the plasma of SARS-CoV-2 infected mice. Collectively, these data demonstrate the loss of plasmalogens during both sepsis and SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study also indicates plasma plasmalogens should be considered in future studies as biomarkers of infection and as prognostic indicators for sepsis and COVID-19 outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Pike
- Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Research, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Reagan M McGuffee
- Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Research, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Carolyn J Albert
- Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Research, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Daniel F Hoft
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Michael G S Shashaty
- Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Center for Translational Lung Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Nuala J Meyer
- Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Center for Translational Lung Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - David A Ford
- Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Research, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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12
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Abstract
To combat the immense toll on global public health induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), new vaccines were developed. While these vaccines have protected the populations who received them from severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, the effectiveness and durability of these vaccines in individuals with obesity are not fully understood. Our uncertainty of the ability of these novel vaccines to induce protective immunity in humans with obesity stems from historical data that revealed obesity-associated immune defects to influenza vaccines. This review analyzes the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in humans with obesity. According to the vaccine safety and efficacy information for the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson formulations, these vaccines showed a similar efficacy in both individuals with and without obesity. However, clinical trials that assess BMI and central obesity showed that induced antibody titers are lower in individuals with obesity when compared to healthy weight subjects, highlighting a potential early waning of vaccine-induced antibodies linked to obesity rates. Thus, the desired protective effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were potentially diminished in humans with obesity when compared to the healthy weight population, but further studies outlining functional implications of the link between obesity and lower antibody titers need to be conducted to understand the full impact of this immune phenomenon. Further, additional research must be completed to truly understand the immune responses mounted against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with obesity, and whether these responses differ from those elicited by previously studied influenza viruses.
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13
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Geerling E, Stone ET, Steffen TL, Hassert M, Brien JD, Pinto AK. Obesity Enhances Disease Severity in Female Mice Following West Nile Virus Infection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:739025. [PMID: 34531877 PMCID: PMC8439568 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.739025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A rise in adiposity in the United States has resulted in more than 70% of adults being overweight or obese, and global obesity rates have tripled since 1975. Following the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, obesity was characterized as a risk factor that could predict severe infection outcomes to viral infection. Amidst the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, obesity has remained a significant risk factor for severe viral disease as obese patients have a higher likelihood for developing severe symptoms and requiring hospitalization. However, the mechanism by which obesity enhances viral disease is unknown. In this study, we utilized a diet-induced obesity mouse model of West Nile virus (WNV) infection, a flavivirus that cycles between birds and mosquitoes and incidentally infects both humans and mice. Likelihood for severe WNV disease is associated with risk factors such as diabetes that are comorbidities also linked to obesity. Utilizing this model, we showed that obesity-associated chronic inflammation increased viral disease severity as obese female mice displayed higher mortality rates and elevated viral titers in the central nervous system. In addition, our studies highlighted that obesity also dysregulates host acute adaptive immune responses, as obese female mice displayed significant dysfunction in neutralizing antibody function. These studies highlight that obesity-induced immunological dysfunction begins at early time points post infection and is sustained through memory phase, thus illuminating a potential for obesity to alter the differentiation landscape of adaptive immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - E Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Tara L Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - James D Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
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14
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Pinto AK, Hassert M, Han X, Barker D, Carnelley T, Branche E, Steffen TL, Stone ET, Geerling E, Viramontes KM, Nykiforuk C, Toth D, Shresta S, Kodihalli S, Brien JD. The Ability of Zika virus Intravenous Immunoglobulin to Protect From or Enhance Zika Virus Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:717425. [PMID: 34552587 PMCID: PMC8450494 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.717425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The closely related flaviviruses, dengue and Zika, cause significant human disease throughout the world. While cross-reactive antibodies have been demonstrated to have the capacity to potentiate disease or mediate protection during flavivirus infection, the mechanisms responsible for this dichotomy are still poorly understood. To understand how the human polyclonal antibody response can protect against, and potentiate the disease in the context of dengue and Zika virus infection we used intravenous hyperimmunoglobulin (IVIG) preparations in a mouse model of the disease. Three IVIGs (ZIKV-IG, Control-Ig and Gamunex®) were evaluated for their ability to neutralize and/or enhance Zika, dengue 2 and 3 viruses in vitro. The balance between virus neutralization and enhancement provided by the in vitro neutralization data was used to predict the IVIG concentrations which could protect or enhance Zika, and dengue 2 disease in vivo. Using this approach, we were able to define the unique in vivo dynamics of complex polyclonal antibodies, allowing for both enhancement and protection from flavivirus infection. Our results provide a novel understanding of how polyclonal antibodies interact with viruses with implications for the use of polyclonal antibody therapeutics and the development and evaluation of the next generation flavivirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Xiaobing Han
- Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc, Winnipeg, Canada
| | | | | | - Emilie Branche
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Tara L. Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Karla M. Viramontes
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Derek Toth
- Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Sujan Shresta
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
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15
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Geerling E, Hassert M, Stone ET, Steffen TL, Pinto AK. Female obese mice have a higher mortality rate and altered immune responses following viral infection in comparison to wild type mice. The Journal of Immunology 2021. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.206.supp.103.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
A rise in adiposity in the United States has resulted in >70% of adults being overweight or obese. Globally, areas that have seen a rise in obesity also have an increase in viral pathogens, resulting in a double disease burden. Studies done using influenza, hepatitis C, West Nile and dengue viruses have shown that excessive adiposity alters immune responses to vaccination. Similarly, obese individuals have a greater risk for developing COVID-19 following SARS-CoV-2 infection and a higher mortality rate than non-obese individuals. However, limited studies have been done to identify mechanisms responsible for obesity-induced impaired immune function. Based on published studies and our preliminary data, we hypothesized that obesity-associated chronic inflammation alters the immune system, enhancing susceptibility to viral diseases and hindering vaccine efficacy. To study this, we are using West Nile virus and SARS-CoV-2 in murine models of obesity. By infecting regular chow-fed (wt) and high fat diet-induced obese (ob) mice, we compared virus-specific immune responses at varying time points post infection. Results from these studies indicate that female ob mice have a higher mortality rate, dysfunctional virus-specific T cell responses and lowered efficacy of neutralizing antibodies. However, ob males do not show these differences when compared to wt males. These results demonstrate that obesity can enhance disease severity following viral infection which may have long term consequences for the generation of protective immune responses to vaccination, and sex appears to play a role in this phenomenon. Our ongoing studies are focused on determining how sex and chronic inflammation alter immune responses to these viral pathogens.
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16
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Khojandi N, Kuehm LM, Piening A, Donlin MJ, Hsueh EC, Schwartz TL, Farrell K, Richart JM, Geerling E, Pinto AK, George SL, Albert CJ, Ford DA, Chen X, Kline J, Teague RM. Oxidized Lipoproteins Promote Resistance to Cancer Immunotherapy Independent of Patient Obesity. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:214-226. [PMID: 33303575 PMCID: PMC7864876 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antitumor immunity is impaired in obese mice. Mechanistic insight into this observation remains sparse and whether it is recapitulated in patients with cancer is unclear because clinical studies have produced conflicting and controversial findings. We addressed this by analyzing data from patients with a diverse array of cancer types. We found that survival after immunotherapy was not accurately predicted by body mass index or serum leptin concentrations. However, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in serum was identified as a suppressor of T-cell function and a driver of tumor cytoprotection mediated by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Analysis of a human melanoma gene expression database showed a clear association between higher HMOX1 (HO-1) expression and reduced progression-free survival. Our in vivo experiments using mouse models of both melanoma and breast cancer revealed HO-1 as a mechanism of resistance to anti-PD1 immunotherapy but also exposed HO-1 as a vulnerability that could be exploited therapeutically using a small-molecule inhibitor. In conclusion, our clinical data have implicated serum ox-LDL as a mediator of therapeutic resistance in patients with cancer, operating as a double-edged sword that both suppressed T-cell immunity and simultaneously induced HO-1-mediated tumor cell protection. Our studies also highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting HO-1 during immunotherapy, encouraging further translational development of this combination approach.See article by Kuehm et al., p. 227.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloufar Khojandi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Lindsey M Kuehm
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Alexander Piening
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Maureen J Donlin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Eddy C Hsueh
- Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Theresa L Schwartz
- Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Kaitlin Farrell
- Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - John M Richart
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Sarah L George
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Carolyn J Albert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - David A Ford
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Xiufen Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Justin Kline
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ryan M Teague
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
- Alvin J. Siteman National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center, St. Louis, Missouri
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17
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Vijayalingam S, Ezekiel UR, Xu F, Subramanian T, Geerling E, Hoelscher B, San K, Ganapathy A, Pemberton K, Tycksen E, Pinto AK, Brien JD, Beck DB, Chung WK, Gurnett CA, Chinnadurai G. Human iPSC-Derived Neuronal Cells From CTBP1-Mutated Patients Reveal Altered Expression of Neurodevelopmental Gene Networks. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:562292. [PMID: 33192249 PMCID: PMC7653094 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.562292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A recurrent de novo mutation in the transcriptional corepressor CTBP1 is associated with neurodevelopmental disabilities in children (Beck et al., 2016, 2019; Sommerville et al., 2017). All reported patients harbor a single recurrent de novo heterozygous missense mutation (p.R342W) within the cofactor recruitment domain of CtBP1. To investigate the transcriptional activity of the pathogenic CTBP1 mutant allele in physiologically relevant human cell models, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from the dermal fibroblasts derived from patients and normal donors. The transcriptional profiles of the iPSC-derived “early” neurons were determined by RNA-sequencing. Comparison of the RNA-seq data of the neurons from patients and normal donors revealed down regulation of gene networks involved in neurodevelopment, synaptic adhesion and anti-viral (interferon) response. Consistent with the altered gene expression patterns, the patient-derived neurons exhibited morphological and electrophysiological abnormalities, and susceptibility to viral infection. Taken together, our studies using iPSC-derived neuron models provide novel insights into the pathological activities of the CTBP1 p.R342W allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Vijayalingam
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Uthayashanker R Ezekiel
- Department of Clinical Health Sciences, Doisy College of Health Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Fenglian Xu
- Department of Biology and Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - T Subramanian
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Brittany Hoelscher
- Department of Biology and Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - KayKay San
- Department of Clinical Health Sciences, Doisy College of Health Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Aravinda Ganapathy
- Department of Clinical Health Sciences, Doisy College of Health Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Kyle Pemberton
- Department of Biology and Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Eric Tycksen
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - James D Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - David B Beck
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christina A Gurnett
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - G Chinnadurai
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, St. Louis, MO, United States
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18
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Hassert M, Geerling E, Stone ET, Steffen TL, Dickson A, Feldman MS, Class J, Richner JM, Brien JD, Pinto AK. mRNA induced expression of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in mice for the study of the adaptive immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. bioRxiv 2020. [PMID: 32793909 DOI: 10.1101/2020.08.07.241877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The novel human coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic resulting in nearly 20 million infections across the globe, as of August 2020. Critical to the rapid evaluation of vaccines and antivirals is the development of tractable animal models of infection. The use of common laboratory strains of mice to this end is hindered by significant divergence of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is the receptor required for entry of SARS-CoV-2. In the current study, we designed and utilized an mRNA-based transfection system to induce expression of the hACE2 receptor in order to confer entry of SARS-CoV-2 in otherwise non-permissive cells. By employing this expression system in an in vivo setting, we were able to interrogate the adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in type 1 interferon receptor deficient mice. In doing so, we showed that the T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 is enhanced when hACE2 is expressed during infection. Moreover, we demonstrated that these responses are preserved in memory and are boosted upon secondary infection. Interestingly, we did not observe an enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody responses with hACE2 induction. Importantly, using this system, we functionally identified the CD4+ and CD8+ peptide epitopes targeted during SARS-CoV-2 infection in H2b restricted mice. Antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in mice of this MHC haplotype primarily target peptides of the spike and membrane proteins, while the antigen-specific CD4+ T cells target peptides of the nucleocapsid, membrane, and spike proteins. The functional identification of these T cell epitopes will be critical for evaluation of vaccine efficacy in murine models of SARS-CoV-2. The use of this tractable expression system has the potential to be used in other instances of emerging infections in which the rapid development of an animal model is hindered by a lack of host susceptibility factors.
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19
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Steffen T, Hassert M, Hoft SG, Stone ET, Zhang J, Geerling E, Grimberg BT, Roberts MS, Pinto AK, Brien JD. Immunogenicity and Efficacy of a Recombinant Human Adenovirus Type 5 Vaccine against Zika Virus. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8020170. [PMID: 32272595 PMCID: PMC7349816 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a significant public health concern due to the pathogen's ability to be transmitted by either mosquito bite or sexual transmission, allowing spread to occur throughout the world. The potential consequences of ZIKV infection to human health, specifically neonates, necessitates the development of a safe and effective Zika virus vaccine. Here, we developed an intranasal Zika vaccine based upon the replication-deficient human adenovirus serotype 5 (hAd5) expressing ZIKV pre-membrane and envelope protein (hAd5-ZKV). The hAd5-ZKV vaccine is able to induce both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to ZIKV epitopes. Importantly, this vaccine generated CD8+ T cells specific for a dominant ZIKV T cell epitope and is shown to be protective against a ZIKV challenge by using a pre-clinical model of ZIKV disease. We also demonstrate that the vaccine expresses pre-membrane and envelope protein in a confirmation recognized by ZIKV experienced individuals. Our studies demonstrate that this adenovirus-based vaccine expressing ZIKV proteins is immunogenic and protective in mice, and it encodes ZIKV proteins in a conformation recognized by the human antibody repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Stella G. Hoft
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- Altimmune, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA; (J.Z.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Brian T. Grimberg
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - M. Scot Roberts
- Altimmune, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA; (J.Z.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
- Correspondence: (A.K.P.); (J.D.B.)
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
- Correspondence: (A.K.P.); (J.D.B.)
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Brien JD, Hassert M, Stone ET, Geerling E, Cruz-Orengo L, Pinto AK. Isolation and Quantification of Zika Virus from Multiple Organs in a Mouse. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 31475971 DOI: 10.3791/59632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The methods being presented demonstrate laboratory procedures for the isolation of organs from Zika virus infected animals and the quantification of viral load. The purpose of the procedure is to quantify viral titers in peripheral and CNS areas of the mouse at different time points post infection or under different experimental conditions to identify virologic and immunological factors that regulate Zika virus infection. The organ isolation procedures demonstrated allow for both focus forming assay quantification and quantitative PCR assessment of viral titers. The rapid organ isolation techniques are designed for the preservation of virus titer. Viral titer quantification by focus forming assay allows for the rapid throughput assessment of Zika virus. The benefit of the focus forming assay is the assessment of infectious virus, the limitation of this assay is the potential for organ toxicity reducing the limit of detection. Viral titer assessment is combined with quantitative PCR, and using a recombinant RNA copy control viral genome copy number within the organ is assessed with low limit of detection. Overall these techniques provide an accurate rapid high throughput method for the analysis of Zika viral titers in the periphery and CNS of Zika virus infected animals and can be applied to the assessment of viral titers in the organs of animals infected with most pathogens, including Dengue virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | - E Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | | | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University;
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Hiremath D, Geerling E, Narayan P. 066 High Testosterone Levels Cause Chondrocyte Metaplasia and Reduced Smooth Muscle Content in the Mouse Penis. J Sex Med 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.01.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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