Longitudinal Characterization of the Mumps-Specific HLA-A2 Restricted T-Cell Response after Mumps Virus Infection
Lanfermeijer, Josien Nühn, Marieke M Emmelot, Maarten E Poelen, Martien CM van Els, Cécile ACM Borghans, José AM van Baarle, Debbie Kaaijk, Patricia de Wit, Jelle
Lanfermeijer, Josien
Nühn, Marieke M
Emmelot, Maarten E
Poelen, Martien CM
van Els, Cécile ACM
Borghans, José AM
van Baarle, Debbie
Kaaijk, Patricia
de Wit, Jelle
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Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2021-12-03
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Longitudinal Characterization of the Mumps-Specific HLA-A2 Restricted T-Cell Response after Mumps Virus Infection
Translated Title
Published in
Vaccines 2021;9(12):1431
Abstract
Waning of the mumps virus (MuV)-specific humoral response after vaccination has been suggested as a cause for recent mumps outbreaks in vaccinated young adults, although it cannot explain all cases. Moreover, CD8+ T cells may play an important role in the response against MuV; however, little is known about the characteristics and dynamics of the MuV-specific CD8+ T-cell response after MuV infection. Here, we had the opportunity to follow the CD8+ T-cell response to three recently identified HLA-A2*02:01-restricted MuV-specific epitopes from 1.5 to 36 months post-MuV infection in five previously vaccinated and three unvaccinated individuals. The infection-induced CD8+ T-cell response was dominated by T cells specific for the ALDQTDIRV and LLDSSTTRV epitopes, while the response to the GLMEGQIVSV epitope was subdominant. MuV-specific CD8+ T-cell frequencies in the blood declined between 1.5 and 9 months after infection. This decline was not explained by changes in the expression of inhibitory receptors or homing markers. Despite the ongoing changes in the frequencies and phenotype of MuV-specific CD8+ T cells, TCRβ analyses revealed a stable MuV-specific T-cell repertoire over time. These insights in the maintenance of the cellular response against mumps may provide hallmarks for optimizing vaccination strategies towards a long-term cellular memory response.