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Differences in Immune Responses in Individuals of Indian and European Origin: Relevance for the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Geckin, Büsra; Zoodsma, Martijn; Kilic, Gizem; Debisarun, Priya A; Rakshit, Srabanti; Adiga, Vasista; Ahmed, Asma; Parthiban, Chaitra; Kumar, Nirutha Chetan; D'Souza, George; Baltissen, Marijke P; Martens, Joost H A; Domínguez-Andrés, Jorge; Li, Yang; Vyakarnam, Annapurna; Netea, Mihai G.
  • Geckin B; Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
  • Zoodsma M; Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
  • Kilic G; Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany.
  • Debisarun PA; TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany.
  • Rakshit S; Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
  • Adiga V; Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
  • Ahmed A; Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
  • Parthiban C; Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
  • Kumar NC; Laboratory of Immunology of HIV-TB Co-infection, Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
  • D'Souza G; Laboratory of Immunology of HIV-TB Co-infection, Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
  • Baltissen MP; Laboratory of Immunology of HIV-TB Co-infection, Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
  • Martens JHA; Laboratory of Immunology of HIV-TB Co-infection, Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
  • Domínguez-Andrés J; Laboratory of Immunology of HIV-TB Co-infection, Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
  • Li Y; Laboratory of Immunology of HIV-TB Co-infection, Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
  • Vyakarnam A; Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
  • Netea MG; Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Microbiol Spectr ; : e0023123, 2023 Feb 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2240915
ABSTRACT
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, large differences in susceptibility and mortality due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have been reported between populations in Europe and South Asia. While both host and environmental factors (including Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination) have been proposed to explain this, the potential biological substrate of these differences is unknown. We purified peripheral blood mononuclear cells from individuals living in India and the Netherlands at baseline and 10 to 12 weeks after BCG vaccination. We compared chromatin accessibility between the two populations at baseline, as well as gene transcription profiles and cytokine production capacities upon stimulation. The chromatin accessibility of genes important for adaptive immunity was higher in the Indians than in the Europeans, while the latter had more accessible chromatin regions in genes of the innate immune system. At the transcriptional level, we observed that the Indian volunteers displayed a more tolerant immune response to stimulation, in contrast to a more exaggerated response in the Europeans. BCG vaccination strengthened the tolerance program in the Indians but not in the Europeans. These differences may partly explain the different impact of COVID-19 on the two populations. IMPORTANCE In this study, we assessed the differences in immune responses in individuals from India and Europe. This aspect is of great relevance, because of the described differences in morbidity and mortality between India and Europe during the pandemic. We found a significant difference in chromatin accessibility in immune cells from the two populations, followed by a more balanced and effective response in individuals from India. These exciting findings represent a very important piece of the puzzle for understanding the COVID-19 pandemic at a global level.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Topics: Vaccines Language: English Journal: Microbiol Spectr Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Spectrum.00231-23

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Topics: Vaccines Language: English Journal: Microbiol Spectr Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Spectrum.00231-23