Upregulation of type 1 conventional dendritic cells implicates antigen cross-presentation in multisystem inflammatory syndrome

Janice J. Huang, Samantha B. Gaines, Mateo L. Amezcua, Tamar R. Lubell, Peter S. Dayan, Marissa Dale, Alexis D. Boneparth, Mark D. Hicar, Robert Winchester, Mark Gorelik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is an acute, febrile, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-associated syndrome, often with cardiohemodynamic dysfunction. Insight into mechanism of disease is still incomplete. Objective: Our objective was to analyze immunologic features of MIS-C patients compared to febrile controls (FC). Methods: MIS-C patients were defined by narrow criteria, including having evidence of cardiohemodynamic involvement and no macrophage activation syndrome. Samples were collected from 8 completely treatment-naive patients with MIS-C (SARS-CoV-2 serology positive), 3 patients with unclassified MIS-C–like disease (serology negative), 14 FC, and 5 MIS-C recovery (RCV). Three healthy controls (HCs) were used for comparisons of normal range. Using spectral flow cytometry, we assessed 36 parameters in antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and 29 in T cells. We used biaxial analysis and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP). Results: Significant elevations in cytokines including CXCL9, M-CSF, and IL-27 were found in MIS-C compared to FC. Classic monocytes and type 2 dendritic cells (DCs) were downregulated (decreased CD86, HLA-DR) versus HCs; however, type 1 DCs (CD11c+CD141+CLEC9A+) were highly activated in MIS-C patients versus FC, expressing higher levels of CD86, CD275, and atypical conventional DC markers such as CD64, CD115, and CX3CR1. CD169 and CD38 were upregulated in multiple monocyte subtypes. CD56dim/CD57/KLRGhi/CD161+/CD38 natural killer (NK) cells were a unique subset in MIS-C versus FC without macrophage activation syndrome. Conclusion: Orchestrated by complex cytokine signaling, type 1 DC activation and NK dysregulation are key features in the pathophysiology of MIS-C. NK cell findings may suggest a relationship with macrophage activation syndrome, while type 1 DC upregulation implies a role for antigen cross-presentation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)912-922
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume149
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • CLEC9A
  • Kawasaki disease (KD)
  • Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)
  • NK cell cytotoxicity
  • antigen cross-presentation
  • dendritic cells

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