Dengue virus serotype-2 impairs proliferation of healthy donors' T lymphocytes

T lymphocytes are not infected by dengue virus (DENV), nevertheless it is possible that exposure to DENV may affect their function. T lymphocytes from DENV-infected individuals are impaired in their proliferative capacity, although this effect has been attributed to altered function of antigen-presenting cells rather than to an intrinsic defect on T lymphocytes. Here we analyzed whether T lymphocytes from healthy donors became impaired in their proliferative capacity following in vitro exposure to DENV serotype-2 (DENV-2), as well as the possible mechanisms for this.

Isolated CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes from healthy donors were in vitro exposed to DENV-2, before polyclonal activation, cell proliferation, IL-2 synthesis. IL-2Rα expression, nuclear translocation of NF-AT and NF-κB, and intracellular calcium flux were assessed.

In vitro exposure of both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes from healthy donors to DENV-2 impairs cell proliferation, IL-2 synthesis, and IL-2Rα (CD25) cell membrane expression. Signalling wise, exposure to DENV-2 impairs the nuclear translocation of NF-AT, downstream of intracellular calcium mobilization, as well as that of NF-κB.

In the course of a dengue infection, direct exposure of T lymphocytes to DENV could affect cell-mediated immune responses.