Development of T follicular helper cell-independent nanoparticle vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 or HIV-1 by targeting ICOSL

T helper cells, particularly T follicular helper (T_FH) cells, are essential for the neutralizing antibody production elicited by pathogens or vaccines. However, in immunocompromised individuals, the inefficient support from T_FH cells could lead to limited protection after vaccine inoculation. Here we showed that the conjugation of inducible T cell costimulatory (ICOS) onto the nanoparticle, together with immunogen, significantly enhanced the immune response of the vaccines specific for SARS-CoV-2 or human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) in T_FH-deficient mice. Further studies indicated that ICOSL on B cells was triggered by ICOS binding, subsequently activated the PKCβ signaling pathway, and enhanced the survival and proliferation of B cells. Our findings revealed that the stimulation of ICOS-ICOSL interaction by adding ICOS on the nanoparticle vaccine significantly substitutes the function of T_FH cells to support B cell response, which is significant for the immunocompromised people, such as the elderly or HIV-1-infected individuals.