sq-23377 and Lymphopenia

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection results in rapid T lymphocytopenia and functional impairment of T cells. The underlying mechanism, however, remains incompletely understood. In this study, we focused on characterizing the phenotype and kinetics of T-cell subsets with mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) by multicolor flow cytometry and investigating the association between MD and T-cell functionality. While 73.9% of study subjects displayed clinical lymphocytopenia upon hospital admission, a significant reduction of CD4 or CD8 T-cell frequency was found in all asymptomatic, symptomatic, and convalescent cases. CD4 and CD8 T cells with increased MD were found in both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients within the first week of symptom onset. Lower proportion of memory CD8 T cell with MD was found in severe patients than in mild ones at the stage of disease progression. Critically, the frequency of T cells with MD in symptomatic patients was preferentially associated with CD4 T-cell loss and CD8 T-cell hyperactivation, respectively. Patients bearing effector memory CD4 and CD8 T cells with the phenotype of high MD exhibited poorer T-cell responses upon either phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin or SARS-CoV-2 peptide stimulation than those with low MD. Our findings demonstrated an MD-associated mechanism underlying SARS-CoV-2-induced T lymphocytopenia and functional impairment during the acute phase of infection.

Topics: Adult; Aged; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; COVID-19; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; Female; Humans; Immunologic Memory; Ionomycin; Lymphopenia; Male; Middle Aged; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Diseases; Phosphorylcholine; Polymethacrylic Acids

A comparative study of immune function and marker expression of CD4+ T cells from MHC class 1-restricted 2C TCR-transgenic (2C+) and control transgene-negative littermate (2C-) mice was performed. While 2C+CD4+ T cells resembled memory T cells on the basis of CD44highCD45RBlow expression, the majority of 2C-CD4+ T cells were of the CD44lowCD45RBhigh naive phenotype. Slightly lower levels of TCR-beta and CD3 were found on 2C+CD4+ T cell than 2C-CD4+ T cells. Vigorous proliferation by 2C-CD4+ T cells was observed upon stimulation with 1) anti-CD3 mAb presented through the FcR of macrophages; 2) immobilized (plate-bound) anti-CD3 + anti-CD28 mAbs; and 3) PMA + ionomycin. In marked contrast, all three mitogenic stimuli stimulated highly deficient proliferative responses by 2C+CD4+ T cells. However, significant IL-2 production was detected both in anti-CD3 and in PMA + ionomycin-stimulated cultures of 2C+CD4+ T cells. While intracellular calcium in 2C-CD4+ T cells rapidly increased following anti-CD3 addition, no such increase was observed for similarly stimulated 2C+CD4+ T cells. Anti-CD28, PMA, and coculture with 2C-CD4+ T cells each failed to significantly correct the deficient 2C+CD4+ T cells proliferation as induced by anti-CD3. In addition, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-7 supplements also failed to reverse the deficient proliferation of 2C+CD4+ T cells despite expression of IL-2R component alpha-, beta-chains and the gamma-chain common also to IL-4R and IL-7R. Thymus CD4+8- T cells from the 2C-transgenic mouse were similarly deficient in proliferation as spleen CD4+ T cells. A small subpopulation of CD4+ T cell from the 2C-transgenic mouse expressed the transgenic TCR alpha:beta heterodimer as detected by the 1B2 anti-2C clonotypic mAb; both 1B2+ and 1B2- subpopulations proliferated poorly in response to anti-CD3 and to PMA + ionomycin. These results raise the possibility that TCR engagement with MHC class 1 molecules during early intrathymic development can result in the emergence of CD4+ T cells characterized by unusual marker expression and function.

Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; CD28 Antigens; CD3 Complex; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cell Cycle; Cells, Cultured; Coculture Techniques; Female; Gene Expression Regulation; H-2 Antigens; Immunosorbents; Interleukin-2; Ionomycin; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphopenia; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Transgenic; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; Receptors, Interleukin-2; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate