Identification and Characterization at the Single-Cell Level of Cytokine-Producing Circulating Cells in Children With...

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Dengue virus (DENV) infection presents a wide spectrum of clinical severity.
• Understanding the cellular immune response in dengue is crucial for managing the disease.
• Cytokine-producing circulating cells (CPCCs) have not been fully characterized in acute DENV infection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize naturally induced CPCCs in children with dengue virus (DENV) infection.
• To investigate the role of specific CPCC subsets in different clinical presentations of dengue.
• To explore the functional capacity of CPCCs, particularly B cells, in an antibody-independent manner.

Main Methods:

• Single-cell analysis to detect CPCCs in children with dengue.
• Quantification of cytokine production (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10) by CPCCs.
• Isolation and functional assessment of B cells from dengue patients.

Main Results:

• Naturally induced CPCCs, including monocytes, B cells, and myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs), were identified in children with DENV infection.
• The frequency of mDCs was significantly higher in children with severe dengue.
• B cells spontaneously secreted TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10, and induced T cell activation, indicating antibody-independent functions.

Conclusions:

• CPCCs represent a potential new immune parameter for evaluating dengue pathogenesis.
• Specific CPCC subsets, such as mDCs and B cells, play significant roles in the immune response to DENV.
• The antibody-independent functions of B cells in dengue warrant further investigation.