Unique cellular immune signatures of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

PLoS Pathog. 2022 Nov 2;18(11):e1010915. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010915. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Abstract

The clinical presentation of MIS-C overlaps with other infectious/non-infectious diseases such as acute COVID-19, Kawasaki disease, acute dengue, enteric fever, and systemic lupus erythematosus. We examined the ex-vivo cellular parameters with the aim of distinguishing MIS-C from other syndromes with overlapping clinical presentations. MIS-C children differed from children with non-MIS-C conditions by having increased numbers of naïve CD8+ T cells, naïve, immature and atypical memory B cells and diminished numbers of transitional memory, stem cell memory, central and effector memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, classical, activated memory B and plasma cells and monocyte (intermediate and non-classical) and dendritic cell (plasmacytoid and myeloid) subsets. All of the above alterations were significantly reversed at 6-9 months post-recovery in MIS-C. Thus, MIS-C is characterized by a distinct cellular signature that distinguishes it from other syndromes with overlapping clinical presentations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov clinicaltrial.gov. No: NCT04844242.

Publication types

  • Clinical Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
  • COVID-19*
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*
  • Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / diagnosis

Supplementary concepts

  • pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease, COVID-19 related

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04844242

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.