Foxp3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells control dendritic cells in inducing antigen-specific immunity to emerging SARS-CoV-2 antigens

PLoS Pathog. 2021 Dec 9;17(12):e1010085. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010085. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Regulatory T (Treg) cells, which constitute about 5-10% of CD4+T cells expressing Foxp3 transcription factor and CD25(IL-2 receptor α chain), are key regulators in controlling immunological self-tolerance and various immune responses. However, how Treg cells control antigen-specific immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effect of transient breakdown of the immunological tolerance induced by Treg-cell depletion on adaptive immune responses against administered SARS-CoV-2 antigen, spike protein 1 (S1). Notably, without the use of adjuvants, transient Treg-cell depletion in mice induced anti-S1 antibodies that neutralized authentic SARS-CoV-2, follicular helper T cell formation and S1-binding germinal center B cell responses, but prevented the onset of developing autoimmune diseases. To further clarify the mechanisms, we investigated maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), which is essential to initiate antigen-specific immunity. We found that the transient Treg-cell depletion resulted in maturation of both migratory and resident DCs in draining lymph nodes that captured S1-antigen. Moreover, we observed S1-specific CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells with interferon-γ production. Thus, captured S1 was successfully presented by DCs, including cross-presentation to CD8+ T cells. These data indicate that transient Treg-cell depletion in the absence of adjuvants induces maturation of antigen-presenting DCs and succeeds in generating antigen-specific humoral and cellular immunity against emerging SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Finally, we showed that SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific immune responses induced by transient Treg-cell depletion in the absence of adjuvants were compatible with those induced with an effective adjuvant, polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidyl acid (poly IC) and that the combination of transient Treg-cell depletion with poly IC induced potent responses. These findings highlight the capacity for manipulating Treg cells to induce protective adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 with activating antigen-presenting DCs, which may improve the efficacy of ongoing vaccine therapies and help enhance responses to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation / immunology
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • COVID-19 / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / immunology*
  • Germinal Center / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Inbred MRL lpr
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse

Supplementary concepts

  • SARS-CoV-2 variants

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research B 20H03469 (SY), a Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up 19K23868 (RU), Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists 20K16265 (RU), Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research C 20K09911 (MI), 19K07510 (HS), Fostering Joint International Research B 19KK0202 (SY), a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering) 21K18258 (SY) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant-in-Aid for scientific Research on Innovative Area 19H04812 (SY) from the MEXT, Grants-in-Aid for Research in Nagoya City University (RU) (SY), a Grant from International Joint Usage/Research Center, the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo (RU), the Nakatomi Foundation (HS), Takeda Science Foundation (HS) (SY), Kawano Masanori Memorial Public Interest Incorporated Foundation for Promotion of Pediatrics (SY), and Kobayashi Foundation (SY). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.