Koeken, V. A. C. M. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2022

MMR vaccination induces a trained immunity program characterized by functional and metabolic reprogramming of γδ T cells

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine protects against all-cause mortality in children, but the immunological mechanisms mediating these effects are poorly known. We systematically investigated whether MMR can induce long-term functional changes in innate immune cells, a process termed trained immunity, that could at least partially mediate this heterologous protection. In a randomized placebo-controlled trial, 39 healthy adults received either the MMR vaccine or a placebo. By using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we found that MMR caused transcriptomic changes in CD14-positive monocytes and NK cells, but most profoundly in {gamma}{delta} T cells. Surprisingly, monocyte function was not altered by MMR vaccination. In contrast, the function of {gamma}{delta} T cells was significantly enhanced by MMR vaccination, with higher production of TNF and IFN{gamma}, as well as upregulation of cellular metabolic pathways. In conclusion, we describe a new trained immunity program characterized by modulation of {gamma}{delta} T cell function induced by MMR vaccination. One-sentence summaryMMR vaccination induces cellular and metabolic reprogramming in {gamma}{delta} T cells towards a more active phenotype.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

An optimized protocol for dual RNA-Seq of human macrophages infected with Mycobacterium avium

Recently, dual RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) has been identified as a powerful tool to study host-pathogen interactions, which is particularly interesting for intracellular pathogens such as mycobacteria. However, due to the complexity of obtaining human host cells, many models rely on the usage of host cells derived from animals or cell lines, which does not accurately mimic the situation in the patient. Furthermore, due to the severe disbalance in host and pathogen RNA content, it is difficult to obtain sufficient sequencing depth for the infecting pathogen. Here, we present an optimized method to perform dual RNA-sequencing on human monocyte-derived macrophages (hMDMs) infected with Mycobacterium avium (M. avium). It is likely that, with slight modifications in multiplicity of infection (MOI) to account for differences in virulence, this methodology will be applicable for other difficult-to-lyse intracellular mycobacteria.

genomics↗