PLoS Pathogens (Nov 2022)

Unique cellular immune signatures of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

  • Anuradha Rajamanickam,
  • Pavan Kumar Nathella,
  • Aishwarya Venkataraman,
  • Poovazhagi Varadarjan,
  • Srinithi Kannan,
  • Arul Nancy Pandiarajan,
  • Rachel Mariam Renji,
  • Elayarani Elavarasan,
  • Akshith Thimmaiah,
  • Kandasamy Sasidaran,
  • Nedunchelian Krishnamoorthy,
  • Suresh Natarajan,
  • Ganesh Ramaswamy,
  • Balasubramanian Sundaram,
  • Sulochana Putlibai,
  • Syed Hissar,
  • Elilarasi Selladurai,
  • K Ranganathan Uma Devi,
  • Thomas B Nutman,
  • Subash Babu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010915
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 11
p. e1010915

Abstract

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The clinical presentation of MIS-C overlaps with other infectious/non-infectious diseases such as acute COVID-19, Kawasaki disease, acute dengue, enteric fever, and systemic lupus erythematosus. We examined the ex-vivo cellular parameters with the aim of distinguishing MIS-C from other syndromes with overlapping clinical presentations. MIS-C children differed from children with non-MIS-C conditions by having increased numbers of naïve CD8+ T cells, naïve, immature and atypical memory B cells and diminished numbers of transitional memory, stem cell memory, central and effector memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, classical, activated memory B and plasma cells and monocyte (intermediate and non-classical) and dendritic cell (plasmacytoid and myeloid) subsets. All of the above alterations were significantly reversed at 6-9 months post-recovery in MIS-C. Thus, MIS-C is characterized by a distinct cellular signature that distinguishes it from other syndromes with overlapping clinical presentations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov clinicaltrial.gov. No: NCT04844242.