ABSTRACT
The immunopathological mechanisms driving the development of severe COVID-19 remain poorly defined. Here, we utilize a rhesus macaque model of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection to delineate perturbations in the innate immune system. SARS-CoV-2 initiates a rapid infiltration of plasmacytoid dendritic cells into the lower airway, commensurate with IFNA production, natural killer cell activation, and a significant increase of blood CD14-CD16+ monocytes. To dissect the contribution of lung myeloid subsets to airway inflammation, we generate a longitudinal scRNA-Seq dataset of airway cells, and map these subsets to corresponding populations in the human lung. SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits a rapid recruitment of two macrophage subsets: CD163+MRC1-, and TREM2+ populations that are the predominant source of inflammatory cytokines. Treatment with baricitinib (Olumiant®), a JAK1/2 inhibitor is effective in eliminating the influx of non-alveolar macrophages, with a reduction of inflammatory cytokines. This study delineates the major lung macrophage subsets driving airway inflammation during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Animals , Humans , Macaca mulatta , SARS-CoV-2 , Macrophages , Inflammation , Cytokines , Membrane Glycoproteins , Receptors, ImmunologicABSTRACT
A combination of vaccination approaches will likely be necessary to fully control the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Here, we show that modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vectors expressing membrane-anchored pre-fusion stabilized spike (MVA/S) but not secreted S1 induced strong neutralizing antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 in mice. In macaques, the MVA/S vaccination induced strong neutralizing antibodies and CD8+ T cell responses, and conferred protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection and virus replication in the lungs as early as day 2 following intranasal and intratracheal challenge. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of lung cells on day 4 after infection revealed that MVA/S vaccination also protected macaques from infection-induced inflammation and B cell abnormalities and lowered induction of interferon-stimulated genes. These results demonstrate that MVA/S vaccination induces neutralizing antibodies and CD8+ T cells in the blood and lungs and is a potential vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Genetic Vectors/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Vaccines, DNA/immunology , Vaccinia virus/genetics , Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Antigens, Viral/genetics , Antigens, Viral/immunology , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/pathology , COVID-19/virology , COVID-19 Vaccines/genetics , Disease Models, Animal , Gene Expression , Gene Order , Immunophenotyping , Lung/immunology , Lung/pathology , Lung/virology , Macaca , Macrophages, Alveolar/immunology , Macrophages, Alveolar/metabolism , Macrophages, Alveolar/pathology , Mice , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology , T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology , T-Lymphocyte Subsets/metabolism , Vaccination/methods , Vaccines, DNA/geneticsABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2-induced hypercytokinemia and inflammation are critically associated with COVID-19 severity. Baricitinib, a clinically approved JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor, is currently being investigated in COVID-19 clinical trials. Here, we investigated the immunologic and virologic efficacy of baricitinib in a rhesus macaque model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Viral shedding measured from nasal and throat swabs, bronchoalveolar lavages, and tissues was not reduced with baricitinib. Type I interferon (IFN) antiviral responses and SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses remained similar between the two groups. Animals treated with baricitinib showed reduced inflammation, decreased lung infiltration of inflammatory cells, reduced NETosis activity, and more limited lung pathology. Importantly, baricitinib-treated animals had a rapid and remarkably potent suppression of lung macrophage production of cytokines and chemokines responsible for inflammation and neutrophil recruitment. These data support a beneficial role for, and elucidate the immunological mechanisms underlying, the use of baricitinib as a frontline treatment for inflammation induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage , Azetidines/administration & dosage , COVID-19 Drug Treatment , COVID-19/immunology , Macaca mulatta , Neutrophil Infiltration/drug effects , Purines/administration & dosage , Pyrazoles/administration & dosage , Sulfonamides/administration & dosage , Animals , COVID-19/physiopathology , Cell Death/drug effects , Cell Degranulation/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Inflammation/drug therapy , Inflammation/genetics , Inflammation/immunology , Janus Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Lung/drug effects , Lung/immunology , Lung/pathology , Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects , Macrophages, Alveolar/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/physiology , Severity of Illness Index , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Virus Replication/drug effectsABSTRACT
Effective therapeutics aimed at mitigating COVID-19 symptoms are urgently needed. SARS-CoV-2 induced hypercytokinemia and systemic inflammation are associated with disease severity. Baricitinib, a clinically approved JAK1/2 inhibitor with potent anti-inflammatory properties is currently being investigated in COVID-19 human clinical trials. Recent reports suggest that baricitinib may also have antiviral activity in limiting viral endocytosis. Here, we investigated the immunologic and virologic efficacy of baricitinib in a rhesus macaque model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Viral shedding measured from nasal and throat swabs, bronchoalveolar lavages and tissues was not reduced with baricitinib. Type I IFN antiviral responses and SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell responses remained similar between the two groups. Importantly, however, animals treated with baricitinib showed reduced immune activation, decreased infiltration of neutrophils into the lung, reduced NETosis activity, and more limited lung pathology. Moreover, baricitinib treated animals had a rapid and remarkably potent suppression of alveolar macrophage derived production of cytokines and chemokines responsible for inflammation and neutrophil recruitment. These data support a beneficial role for, and elucidate the immunological mechanisms underlying, the use of baricitinib as a frontline treatment for severe inflammation induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection.