Peptide MegaPools Approach to Evaluate the Dengue-Specific CD4 and CD8 T-Cell Response

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• T-cell responses are critical for adaptive immunity during infections and vaccination.
• Understanding dengue virus (DENV)-specific T-cell responses is essential for evaluating natural infection and vaccine efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the most immunogenic DENV antigen for assessing T-cell responses.
• To compare the efficacy of DENV MegaPools (MP) versus serotype-specific peptide pools.

Main Methods:

• Enrolled patients with dengue and individuals vaccinated with QDENGA (TAK-003).
• Measured T-cell responses using ELISPOT and Activation Induced Markers (AIM) assays.
• Stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with DENV1-4 CD4/CD8 MPs and serotype-specific peptide pools.

Main Results:

• DENV1-4 CD4 and CD8 MPs elicited significant T-cell responses in dengue patients, irrespective of serotype.
• DENV MPs were more effective than serotype-specific peptide pools in inducing measurable T-cell responses.
• DENV MPs are suitable for evaluating dengue-specific T-cell responses in vaccinated individuals.

Conclusions:

• The MegaPool (MP) approach is effective for investigating dengue-specific T-cell responses.
• This method can monitor immune responses during DENV infection and after vaccination.