Clonal analysis of Salmonella-specific effector T cells reveals serovar-specific and cross-reactive T cell responses

Nat Immunol. 2018 Jul;19(7):742-754. doi: 10.1038/s41590-018-0133-z. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Abstract

To tackle the complexity of cross-reactive and pathogen-specific T cell responses against related Salmonella serovars, we used mass cytometry, unbiased single-cell cloning, live fluorescence barcoding, and T cell-receptor sequencing to reconstruct the Salmonella-specific repertoire of circulating effector CD4+ T cells, isolated from volunteers challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) or Salmonella Paratyphi A (S. Paratyphi). We describe the expansion of cross-reactive responses against distantly related Salmonella serovars and of clonotypes recognizing immunodominant antigens uniquely expressed by S. Typhi or S. Paratyphi A. In addition, single-amino acid variations in two immunodominant proteins, CdtB and PhoN, lead to the accumulation of T cells that do not cross-react against the different serovars, thus demonstrating how minor sequence variations in a complex microorganism shape the pathogen-specific T cell repertoire. Our results identify immune-dominant, serovar-specific, and cross-reactive T cell antigens, which should aid in the design of T cell-vaccination strategies against Salmonella.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / analysis
  • Adult
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Antigens, Bacterial / metabolism
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / chemistry
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Clone Cells
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • Receptors, CCR7 / analysis
  • Salmonella paratyphi A / immunology*
  • Salmonella typhi / immunology*
  • Typhoid Fever / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • CCR7 protein, human
  • Receptors, CCR7
  • ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1