| 1. |
- Björkander, Sophia, et al.
(författare)
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SARS-CoV-2-specific B- and T-cell immunity in a population-based study of young Swedish adults
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0091-6749 .- 1097-6825. ; 149:1, s. 65-75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Young adults are now considered major spreaders of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. Although most young individuals experience mild to moderate disease, there are concerns of long-term adverse health effects. The impact of COVID-19 disease and to which extent population-level immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exists in young adults remain unclear.Objective: We conducted a population-based study on humoral and cellular immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and explored COVID-19 disease characteristics in young adults.Methods: We invited participants from the Swedish BAMSE (Barn [Children], Allergy Milieu, Stockholm, Epidemiology) birth cohort (age 24-27 years) to take part in a COVID-19 followup. From 980 participants (October 2020 to June 2021), we here present data on SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain-specific IgM, IgA, and IgG titers measured by ELISA and on symptoms and epidemiologic factors associated with seropositivity. Further, SARS-CoV-2-specific memory B-and T-cell responses were detected for a subpopulation (n 5 108) by ELISpot and FluoroSpot.Results: A total of 28.4% of subjects were seropositive, of whom 18.4% were IgM single positive. One in 7 seropositive subjects was asymptomatic. Seropositivity was associated with use of public transport, but not with sex, asthma, rhinitis, IgE sensitization, smoking, or body mass index. In a subset of representative samples, 20.7% and 35.0% had detectable SARSCoV-2 specific B-and T-cell responses, respectively. B-and T-cell memory responses were clearly associated with seropositivity, but T-cell responses were also detected in 17.2% of seronegative subjects.Conclusions: Assessment of IgM and T-cell responses may improve population-based estimations of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The pronounced surge of both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections among young adults indicates that the large-scale vaccination campaign should be continued. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022;149:65-75.)
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| 2. |
- Grönwall, Caroline, et al.
(författare)
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A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Relationship Between Different IgG and IgA Anti-Modified Protein Autoantibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-3224. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPA) with different fine-specificities. Yet, other serum anti-modified protein autoantibodies (AMPA), e.g. anti-carbamylated (Carb), -acetylated (KAc), and malondialdehyde acetaldehyde (MAA) modified protein antibodies, have been described. In this comprehensive study, we analyze 30 different IgG and IgA AMPA reactivities to Cit, Carb, KAc, and MAA antigens detected by ELISA and autoantigen arrays in N=1985 newly diagnosed RA patients. Association with patient characteristics such as smoking and disease activity were explored. Carb and KAc reactivities by different assays were primarily seen in patients also positive for anti-citrulline reactivity. Modified vimentin (mod-Vim) peptides were used for direct comparison of different AMPA reactivities, revealing that IgA AMPA recognizing mod-Vim was mainly detected in subsets of patients with high IgG anti-Cit-Vim levels and a history of smoking. IgG reactivity to acetylation was mainly detected in a subset of patients with Cit and Carb reactivity. Anti-acetylated histone reactivity was RA-specific and associated with high anti-CCP2 IgG levels, multiple ACPA fine-specificities, and smoking status. This reactivity was also found to be present in CCP2+ RA-risk individuals without arthritis. Our data further demonstrate that IgG autoreactivity to MAA was increased in RA compared to controls with highest levels in CCP2+ RA, but was not RA-specific, and showed low correlation with other AMPA. Anti-MAA was instead associated with disease activity and was not significantly increased in CCP2+ individuals at risk of RA. Notably, RA patients could be subdivided into four different subsets based on their AMPA IgG and IgA reactivity profiles. Our serology results were complemented by screening of monoclonal antibodies derived from single B cells from RA patients for the same antigens as the RA cohort. Certain CCP2+ clones had Carb or Carb+KAc+ multireactivity, while such reactivities were not found in CCP2- clones. We conclude that autoantibodies exhibiting different patterns of ACPA fine-specificities as well as Carb and KAc reactivity are present in RA and may be derived from multireactive B-cell clones. Carb and KAc could be considered reactivities within the "Cit-umbrella" similar to ACPA fine-specificities, while MAA reactivity is distinctly different.
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| 3. |
- Johansson, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Concentration of antibodies against Porphyromonas gingivalis is increased before the onset of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
- 2016
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Ingår i: Arthritis Research & Therapy. - : BioMed Central. - 1478-6354 .- 1478-6362. ; 18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis is hypothesized to be important in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) aetiology by inducing production of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA). We have shown that ACPA precede RA onset by years, and that anti-P. gingivalis antibody levels are elevated in RA patients. The aim of this study was to investigate whether anti-P. gingivalis antibodies pre-date symptom onset and ACPA production. Methods: A case-control study (251 cases, 198 controls) was performed within the Biobank of Northern Sweden. Cases had donated blood samples (n = 422) before the onset of RA symptoms by 5.2 (6.2) years (median (interquartile range)). Blood was also collected from 192 RA patients following diagnosis. Antibodies against P. gingivalis virulence factor arginine gingipainB (RgpB), and a citrullinated peptide (CPP3) derived from the P. gingivalis peptidylarginine deiminase enzyme, were analysed by ELISA. Results: Anti-RgpB IgG levels were significantly increased in pre-symptomatic individuals (mean +/- SEM; 152.7 +/- 14.8 AU/ml) and in RA patients (114.4 +/- 16.9 AU/ml), compared with controls (p < 0.001). Anti-CPP3 antibodies were detected in 5 % of pre-symptomatic individuals and in 8 % of RA patients, with elevated levels in both subsets (4.33 +/- 0.59 and 9.29 +/- 1.81 AU/ml, respectively) compared with controls (p < 0.001). Anti-CPP3 antibodies followed the ACPA response, with increasing concentrations over time, whilst anti-RgpB antibodies were elevated and stable in the pre-symptomatic individuals with a trend towards lower levels after RA diagnosis. Conclusions: Anti-P. gingivalis antibody concentrations were significantly increased in RA patients compared with controls, and were detectable years before onset of symptoms of RA, supporting an aetiological role for P. gingivalis in the development of RA.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Marcotte, Harold, et al.
(författare)
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Conversion of monoclonal IgG to dimeric and secretory IgA restores neutralizing ability and prevents Infection of Omicron lineages
- 2024
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : NATL ACAD SCIENCES. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 121:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The emergence of Omicron lineages and descendent subvariants continues to present a severe threat to the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. We have previ- ously suggested that an insufficient mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) response induced by the mRNA vaccines is associated with a surge in breakthrough infections. Here, we further show that the intramuscular mRNA and/or inactivated vaccines cannot suffi- ciently boost the mucosal secretory IgA response in uninfected individuals, particu- larly against the Omicron variant. We thus engineered and characterized recombinant monomeric, dimeric, and secretory IgAl antibodies derived from four neutralizing IgG monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 01A05, rmAb23, DXP-604, and XG014) targeting the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein. Compared to their parental IgG antibod- ies, dimeric and secretory IgAl antibodies showed a higher neutralizing activity against different variants of concern (VOCs), in part due to an increased avidity. Importantly, the dimeric or secretory IgAl form of the DXP-604 antibody significantly outperformed its parental IgG antibody, and neutralized the Omicron lineages BA.1, BA.2, and BA.4/5 with a 25- to 75-fold increase in potency. In human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) transgenic mice, a single intranasal dose of the dimeric IgA DXP-604 conferred prophylactic and therapeutic protection against Omicron BA.5. Thus, dimeric or secre- tory IgA delivered by nasal administration may potentially be exploited for the treatment Iand prevention of Omicron infection, thereby providing an alternative tool for combating immune evasion by the current circulating subvariants and, potentially, future VOCs.
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| 6. |
- Sherina, Natalia, et al.
(författare)
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Antibodies to a Citrullinated Porphyromonas gingivalis Epitope Are Increased in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Can Be Produced by Gingival Tissue B Cells : Implications for a Bacterial Origin in RA Etiology
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-3224. ; 13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Based on the epidemiological link between periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the unique feature of the periodontal bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis to citrullinate proteins, it has been suggested that production of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), which are present in a majority of RA patients, may be triggered in the gum mucosa. To address this hypothesis, we investigated the antibody response to a citrullinated P. gingivalis peptide in relation to the autoimmune ACPA response in early RA, and examined citrulline-reactivity in monoclonal antibodies derived from human gingival B cells. Antibodies to a citrullinated peptide derived from P. gingivalis (denoted CPP3) and human citrullinated peptides were analyzed by multiplex array in 2,807 RA patients and 372 controls; associations with RA risk factors and clinical features were examined. B cells from inflamed gingival tissue were single-cell sorted, and immunoglobulin (Ig) genes were amplified, sequenced, cloned and expressed (n=63) as recombinant monoclonal antibodies, and assayed for citrulline-reactivities by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, affinity-purified polyclonal anti-cyclic-citrullinated peptide (CCP2) IgG, and monoclonal antibodies derived from RA blood and synovial fluid B cells (n=175), were screened for CPP3-reactivity. Elevated anti-CPP3 antibody levels were detected in RA (11%), mainly CCP2+ RA, compared to controls (2%), p<0.0001, with a significant association to HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles, smoking and baseline pain, but with low correlation to autoimmune ACPA fine-specificities. Monoclonal antibodies derived from gingival B cells showed cross-reactivity between P. gingivalis CPP3 and human citrullinated peptides, and a CPP3+/CCP2+ clone, derived from an RA blood memory B cell, was identified. Our data support the possibility that immunity to P. gingivalis derived citrullinated antigens, triggered in the inflamed gum mucosa, may contribute to the presence of ACPA in RA patients, through mechanisms of molecular mimicry.
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| 7. |
- Sherina, Natalia
(författare)
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On the origin of ACPA : exploring the role of P. gingivalis in the development of rheumatoid arthritis
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic synovial inflammation, joint destruction, and the presence of anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPA) in a majority of patients. Accumulating evidence suggests that ACPA play an important role in RA pathogenesis. ACPA are often detected years before the onset of clinical symptoms, with increasing levels and epitope-spreading preceding the diagnosis of RA. The presence of ACPA is associated with a more severe disease course and recent studies imply that ACPA may directly contribute to inflammation, mediate pain, osteoclast differentiation, and fibroblast migration, and ACPA have been shown to worsen experimental arthritis. Despite progress in revealing ACPA-mediated pathology, the origin of the ACPA response remains largely unknown. The best-known genetic risk factor for RA, HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE) alleles, and the most studied environmental risk factor, cigarette smoking, have been linked to ACPA-positive RA. In addition, chronic periodontitis (PD), an inflammatory disease of the tooth supporting tissue, has been epidemiologically linked to RA. Shared genetic and environmental risk factors, together with a unique ability of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis to express an enzyme that can citrullinate proteins, led to the hypothesis that the initial brake of immune tolerance to citrullinated proteins may be triggered in the gum mucosa during chronic PD. Based on this hypothesis, the aim of my thesis was to investigate the role of P.gingivalis in the etiology of ACPA-positive RA. We have examined the anti-P.gingivalis antibody response in a PD/non-PD cohort and in population-based RA/pre-RA case-control cohorts, and found that anti-P.gingivalis antibody levels are not only significantly elevated in PD patients compared to periodontally-healthy individuals, but in RA patients (in particular ACPA-positive RA) compared to non-RA controls. We identified an association between anti-P.gingivalis antibodies and RA, that was even stronger than the well-known association between smoking and RA, and we could show elevated anti-P.gingivalis antibody levels more than 10 years before clinical onset of RA. Moreover, we have shown that not only RA patients, but a substantial proportion of the general population (likely individuals with PD), have a citrulline-specific antibody response against P.gingivalis. Furthermore, analysis of gingiva-derived monoclonal antibodies from patients with PD revealed the presence of citrulline-reactive B cells in inflamed gingival tissue, and B cells with cross-reactivity between a citrullinated P.gingivalis peptide and citrullinated human antigens were found in the gingival tissue, as well as in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage of ACPA-positive RA patients. One of the most intriguing findings was that two of these clones were positive in the gold standard clinical CCP2 test, and when one of the clones was converted back to the predicted germline sequence, autoreactivity was lost, while some reactivity against P.gingivalis remained. These data suggest that the initial antibody response was directed against P.gingivalis, and that autoimmunity developed as a result of somatic mutations during affinity maturation of the B cell response. In summary, this thesis supports the hypothesis that in a subset of RA patients, loss of tolerance to citrullinated self-proteins may be triggered in the gum mucosa during chronic PD caused by P.gingivalis. However, in order to establish a causative role for P.gingivalis in the development of ACPA-positive RA, further research is warranted.
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| 8. |
- Sherina, Natalia, et al.
(författare)
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Persistence of SARS-CoV-2-specific B and T cell responses in convalescent COVID-19 patients 6-8 months after the infection
- 2021
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Ingår i: Med. - : Elsevier BV. - 2666-6340. ; 2:3, s. 281-295
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Monitoring the adaptive immune responses during the natural course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection provides useful information for the development of vaccination strategies against this virus and its emerging variants. We thus profiled the serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody (Ab) levels and specific memory B and T cell responses in convalescent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.Methods: A total of 119 samples from 88 convalescent donors who experienced mild to critical disease were tested for the presence of elevated anti-spike and anti-receptor binding domain Ab levels over a period of 8 months. In addition, the levels of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing Abs and specific memory B and T cell responses were tested in a subset of samples.Findings: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Abs were present in 85% of the samples collected within 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Levels of specific immunoglobulin M (IgM)/IgA Abs declined after 1 month, while levels of specific IgG Abs and plasma neutralizing activities remained relatively stable up to 6 months after diagnosis. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Abs were still present, although at a significantly lower level, in 80% of the samples collected at 6-8 months after symptom onset. SARS-CoV-2-specific memory B and T cell responses developed with time and were persistent in all of the patients followed up for 6-8 months.Conclusions: Our data suggest that protective adaptive immunity following natural infection of SARS-CoV-2 may persist for at least 6-8 months, regardless of disease severity. Development of medium- or long-term protective immunity through vaccination may thus be possible.
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