AUTHOR=Manh Dao Huy , Weiss Lan Nguyen , Thuong Nguyen Van , Mizukami Shusaku , Dumre Shyam Prakash , Luong Quang Chan , Thanh Le Chi , Thang Cao Minh , Huu Pham Thanh , Phuc Le Hong , Nhung Cao Thi Hong , Mai Nguyen Thi , Truong Nguyen Quang , Ngu Vu Thien Thu , Quoc Do Kien , Ha Tran Thi Ngoc , Ton Tran , An Tran Van , Halhouli Oday , Quynh Le Nhat , Kamel Mohamed Gomaa , Karbwang Juntra , Huong Vu Thi Que , Huy Nguyen Tien , Hirayama Kenji 

TITLE=Kinetics of CD4+ T Helper and CD8+ Effector T Cell Responses in Acute Dengue Patients

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01980

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2020.01980

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> The protective or pathogenic role of T lymphocytes during the acute phase of dengue virus (DENV) infection has not been fully understood despite its importance in immunity and vaccine development.</p><p><bold>Objectives:</bold> This study aimed to clarify the kinetics of T lymphocyte subsets during the clinical course of acute dengue patients.</p><p><bold>Study design:</bold> In this hospital-based cohort study, 59 eligible Vietnamese dengue patients were recruited and admitted. They were investigated and monitored for T cell subsets and a panel of clinical and laboratory parameters every day until discharged and at post-discharge from the hospital.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> We described for the first time the kinetics of T cell response during the clinical course of DENV infection. Severe cases showed significantly lower levels of effector CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells compared to mild cases at day −1 (<italic>p</italic> = 0.017) and day 0 (<italic>p</italic> = 0.033) of defervescence. After defervescence, these cell counts in severe cases increased rapidly to equalize with the levels of mild cases. Our results also showed a decline in total CD4<sup>+</sup> T, Th1, Th1/17 cells during febrile phase of dengue patients compared to normal controls or convalescent phase. On the other hand, Th2 cells increased during DENV infection until convalescent phase. Cytokines such as interferon-γ, IL-12p70, IL-5, IL-23, IL-17A showed tendency to decrease on day 0 and 1 compared with convalescence and only IL-5 showed significance indicating the production during acute phase was not systemic.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> With a rigorous study design, we uncovered the kinetics of T cells in natural DENV infection. Decreased number of effector CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells in the early phase of infection and subsequent increment after defervescence day probably associated with the T cell migration in DENV infection.</p>