Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the profiles and responses of innate immune cells after recovery.

BACKGROUNDS: SARS-CoV-2 infection results in a broad spectrum of clinical outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic to severe symptoms and death. Most COVID-19 pathogenesis is associated with hyperinflammatory conditions driven primarily by myeloid cell lineages. The long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection post recovery include various symptoms. METHODS: We performed a longitudinal study of the innate immune profiles 1 and 3 months after recovery in the Thai cohort by comparing patients with mild, moderate, and severe clinical symptoms using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (n = 62). RESULTS: Significant increases in the frequencies of monocytes compared to controls and NK cells compared to mild and moderate patients were observed in severe patients 1-3 months post recovery. Increased polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) were observed in all recovered patients, even after 3 months. Increased IL-6 and TNFα levels in monocytes were observed 1 month after recovery in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, while decreased CD86 and HLA-DR levels were observed regardless of stimulation. A multiplex analysis of serum cytokines performed at 1 month revealed that most innate cytokines, except for TNFα, IL4/IL-13 (Th2) and IFNγ (Th1), were elevated in recovered patients in a severity-dependent manner. Finally, the myelopoiesis cytokines G-CSF and GM-CSF were higher in all patient groups. Increased monocytes and IL-6- and TNFα-producing cells were significantly associated with long COVID-19 symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal that COVID-19 infection influences the frequencies and functions of innate immune cells for up to 3 months after recovery, which may potentially lead to some of the long COVID symptoms.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Predict the Phenome of Affective Disorders and These Effects Are Mediated by Staging, Neuroimmunotoxic and Growth Factor Profiles.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) enhance pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant responses. In affective disorders, recent precision nomothetic psychiatry studies disclosed new pathway phenotypes, including an ROI-reoccurrence of illness (ROI)-oxidative stress latent construct. The aim of the present study is to delineate a) whether ACEs sensitize the M1 macrophage, the T helper cells (Th)1, Th2, and Th17, the IRS (immune-inflammatory-responses system), the CIRS (compensatory immunoregulatory system), and the neuroimmunotoxic and growth factor (GF) profiles and whether they are associated with ROI and the phenome of affective disorders and b) the molecular pathways underpinning the effects of the ACEs. We collected supernatants of stimulated (5 µg/mL of PHA and 25 µg/mL of LPS) and unstimulated diluted whole blood in 20 healthy controls and 30 depressed patients and measured a panel of 27 cytokines/GF using a Luminex method. ACEs (comprising mental and physical trauma, mental neglect, domestic violence, family history of mental disease, and parent loss) are accompanied by the increased stimulated, but not unstimulated, production of M1, Th1, Th2, Th17, IRS, neuroimmunotoxic, and GF profiles and are strongly correlated with ROI and the phenome. A latent vector extracted from the ROI features (recurrent episodes and suicidal behaviors) and the IRS/neuroimmunotoxic/GF profiles explains 66.8% of the variance in the phenome and completely mediates the effects of ACEs on the phenome. Enrichment analysis showed that the ACE-associated sensitization of immune/GF profiles involves JAK-STAT, nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor-α, G-protein coupled receptor, PI3K/Akt/RAS/MAPK, and hypoxia signaling. In summary, the ACE-induced sensitization of immune pathways and secondary immune hits predicts the phenome of affective disorders.

In Vitro Effects of Cannabidiol on Activated Immune-Inflammatory Pathways in Major Depressive Patients and Healthy Controls.

Major depressive disorder and major depressive episodes (MDD/MDE) are characterized by the activation of the immune-inflammatory response system (IRS) and the compensatory immune-regulatory system (CIRS). Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid isolated from the cannabis plant, which is reported to have antidepressant-like and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of the present study is to examine the effects of CBD on IRS, CIRS, M1, T helper (Th)-1, Th-2, Th-17, T regulatory (Treg) profiles, and growth factors in depression and healthy controls. Culture supernatant of stimulated (5 µg/mL of PHA and 25 µg/mL of LPS) whole blood of 30 depressed patients and 20 controls was assayed for cytokines using the LUMINEX assay. The effects of three CBD concentrations (0.1 µg/mL, 1 µg/mL, and 10 µg/mL) were examined. Depression was characterized by significantly increased PHA + LPS-stimulated Th-1, Th-2, Th-17, Treg, IRS, CIRS, and neurotoxicity profiles. CBD 0.1 µg/mL did not have any immune effects. CBD 1.0 µg/mL decreased CIRS activities but increased growth factor production, while CBD 10.0 µg/mL suppressed Th-1, Th-17, IRS, CIRS, and a neurotoxicity profile and enhanced T cell growth and growth factor production. CBD 1.0 to 10.0 µg/mL dose-dependently decreased sIL-1RA, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, CCL11, G-CSF, IFN-γ, CCL2, CCL4, and CCL5, and increased IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-15, IL-17, GM-CSF, TNF-α, FGF, and VEGF. In summary, in this experiment, there was no beneficial effect of CBD on the activated immune profile of depression and higher CBD concentrations can worsen inflammatory processes.

The Immune Profile of Major Dysmood Disorder: Proof of Concept and Mechanism Using the Precision Nomothetic Psychiatry Approach.

Major depressive disorder and a major depressive episode (MDD/MDE) are characterized by activation of the immune-inflammatory response system (IRS) and the compensatory immune-regulatory system (CIRS). In MDD/MDE, recent precision nomothetic psychiatry studies discovered a new endophenotype class, namely major dysmood disorder (MDMD), a new pathway phenotype, namely reoccurrence of illness (ROI), and a new model of the phenome of depression. The aim of the present study is to examine the association between ROI, the phenome of depression, and MDMD's features and IRS, CIRS, macrophages (M1), T helper (Th)1, Th2, Th17, T regulatory, and growth factor (GF) profiles. Culture supernatants of unstimulated and stimulated (5 µg/mL of PHA and 25 µg/mL of LPS) diluted whole blood of 30 MDD/MDE patients and 20 controls were assayed for cytokines/GF using the LUMINEX assay. MDMD was characterized by increased M1, Th1, Th2, Th17, Treg, IRS, CIRS, neurotoxicity, and GF profiles. Factor analysis shows that ROI features and immune-GF profiles may be combined into a new pathway phenotype (an extracted latent vector). ROI, lifetime and recent suicidal behaviors, and severity of depression are significantly associated with immunotoxicity and GF profiles. Around 80.0% of the variance in the phenome is predicted by ROI and neurotoxicity or the IRS/CIRS ratio. The molecular pathways underpinning ROI-associated sensitization of immune/growth networks are transmembrane receptor protein kinase-triggered STAT protein phosphorylation, TLR/NF-κB, JAK-STAT, and the main proliferation/survival PI3K/Akt/RAS/MAPK pathway. In conclusion, MDMD's heightened immune responses are the consequence of ROI-associated sensitization combined with immunostimulatory triggers.

Notch signaling regulates function of human mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells.

BACKGROUND: Notch signaling plays an important role in the development of T lymphocytes and regulates their effector functions. The regulatory roles of Notch signaling on T cells have been intensely investigated, but whether it involves in effector functions of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells has never been reported. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the expression profiles of Notch receptors/ligands and to investigate their roles in human MAIT cell function. METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from health donors were stimulated with or without anti-CD3/ CD28-coupled beads, recombinant IL-12/IL-18 cytokines, riboflavin- or non-riboflavin-synthesizing bacterial cultured supernatant for 24 hours. The expression profiles of Notch receptors and ligands on MAIT cells were detected by flow cytometry. PBMCs were treated with a Notch signaling inhibitor, gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI), before stimulation to investigate the impact of interfering with Notch signaling on activation and function of MAIT cells. RESULTS: Resting MAIT cells predominantly expressed Notch2 receptor and the ligand, Jagged 2, on their surface. Upon stimulation, MAIT cells further upregulated Notch2 and also Notch1 with its cleaved form, indicating active Notch signaling. Cytokines and cytotoxic molecules which are secreted by activated MAIT cells, were suppressed by treatment with GSI. Moreover, both TCR-dependent MAIT cell activation by microbial-derived riboflavin intermediates and TCR-independent MAIT cell activation driven by IL-18 in synergy with IL-12, were blocked by GSI treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Notch signaling is operating in MAIT cells and is involved in their activation both in a TCR-independent and -dependent manners.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association study identifies FBN2 as a novel locus associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in Thai population.

BACKGROUND: Differences in the expression of variants across ethnic groups in the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have been well documented. However, the genetic architecture in the Thai population has not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we carried out genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the Thai population. METHODS: Two GWAS cohorts were independently collected and genotyped: discovery dataset (487 SLE cases and 1606 healthy controls) and replication dataset (405 SLE cases and 1590 unrelated disease controls). Data were imputed to the density of the 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3. Association studies were performed based on different genetic models, and pathway enrichment analysis was further examined. In addition, the performance of disease risk estimation for individuals in Thai GWAS was assessed based on the polygenic risk score (PRS) model trained by other Asian populations. RESULTS: Previous findings on SLE susceptible alleles were well replicated in the two GWAS. The SNPs on HLA class II (rs9270970, A>G, OR = 1.82, p value = 3.61E-26), STAT4 (rs7582694, C>G, OR = 1.57, p value = 8.21E-16), GTF2I (rs73366469, A>G, OR = 1.73, p value = 2.42E-11), and FAM167A-BLK allele (rs13277113, A>G, OR = 0.68, p value = 1.58E-09) were significantly associated with SLE in Thai population. Meta-analysis of the two GWAS identified a novel locus at the FBN2 that was specifically associated with SLE in the Thai population (rs74989671, A>G, OR = 1.54, p value = 1.61E-08). Functional analysis showed that rs74989671 resided in a peak of H3K36me3 derived from CD14+ monocytes and H3K4me1 from T lymphocytes. In addition, we showed that the PRS model trained from the Chinese population could be applied in individuals of Thai ancestry, with the area under the receiver-operator curve (AUC) achieving 0.76 for this predictor. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the genetic architecture of SLE in the Thai population and identified a novel locus associated with SLE. Also, our study suggested a potential use of the PRS model from the Chinese population to estimate the disease risk for individuals of Thai ancestry.

Down-regulation of let-7a and miR-21 in urine exosomes from lupus nephritis patients during disease flare.

BACKGROUND: The contents of exosomes determine their biological functions and represent a new class of epigenetic modulation of renal cells considering as novel class of biomarker. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to investigate the expression of microRNAs (miRNA), including miR-10a/b, let-7a, and miR-21, in urinary exosomes isolated from patients with active lupus nephritis (LN) compared to inactive LN. METHODS: The exosomes were obtained from long-term follow up LN patients during active and 4 months after treatment (n = 3). The expression of candidate miRNAs was validated in group of LN patients with renal flare (n = 13) and remission stage (n = 18) using qPCR. All exosomes were characterized by NanoSight and western blotting. The correlation between miRNA expressions and kidney functions was studied. RESULTS: We found that let-7a and miR-21, but not miR-10a/b, were significantly down-regulated in LN patients with active disease compared with inactive disease. Long-term follow-up patients also showed down-regulation of let-7a and miR-21 during disease flare while the expressions were elevated after complete course of treatment. Although the miRNA expressions were not significantly correlated with classical kidney injury markers, negative correlations were found in both protein leakages and glomerular filtration rate. CONCLUSION: Our result suggested that urinary exosome-associated miRNA, let-7a and miR-21, could be used to guide the clinical stage of LN patients and possibly plays a role in epigenetic regulation of the kidney during the disease. Its expression might be able to use as liquid biopsy, however, validation in large sample size is required to show it significant in clinical implication.