Backgrounds and aims: Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have been developed as adjuvants to efficiently induce antiviral immune responses. Specificity and potency of these compounds are essential requirements for clinical trial applications. In patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, sustained loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is a therapeutic goal, which may be achievable by the sequential activation of follicular helper T cells (Tfh) and antibody-secreting B cells. We aimed to elucidate whether novel TLR7 agonist, GS-986, could activate immune responses involved in HBV elimination.
Methods: To clarify the impact of GS-986 on pDCs, we quantified the expression levels of surface markers and evaluated for Tfh induction in a culture model consisting of human pDCs with allogeneic naïve CD4+ T cells. In addition, we examined whether GS-986 could enhance HBs antibody production capacity using PBMC from CHB patients.
Results: pDCs from CHB patients had lower OX40L expression and as well as impaired capacity for Tfh induction compared with those from healthy donors. However, GS-986-stimulated pDCs from CHB patients expressed OX40L and produced IL-6 and IL-12, resulting in the induction of IL-21-producing Tfh cells (CXCR5+ PD-1+ CD4+ ) from naïve CD4+ T cells. The Tfh-inducing capacity of GS-986 was reduced in the presence of an anti-OX40L blocking antibody. Furthermore, GS-986 promoted HBsAg-specific antibody production in PBMCs from CHB patients.
Conclusions: GS-986 is an adjuvant that stimulates pDCs to induce Tfh differentiation and antigen-specific B-cell production. This immune profile may be beneficial for therapeutic application as an immune modulator in CHB patients.
Keywords: HBV; HBs antibody; TLR7 agonists; follicular helper T cells; plasmacytoid dendritic cell.
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