Summary:
Virax Biolabs Group Limited presented data at the World Immune Regulation Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, highlighting the role of T-Cell dysfunction, particularly exhaustion markers, in post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS), such as long COVID, ME/CFS, and chronic Lyme disease.

Key Takeaways:

  1. T-Cell Exhaustion Markers: Chronic antigen stimulation leads to upregulation of exhaustion markers (PD-1, LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3, and CD39) on CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-Cells.
  2. Cytokine Production Impact: T-Cell exhaustion correlates with reduced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, impairing immune function.
  3. Diagnostic Advancements: Preliminary data from the ViraxImmune PAIS assay shows significant cytokine level changes in PAIS patients, with ongoing clinical validation studies to assess the link between T-Cell dysfunction and chronic fatigue symptoms.

Virax Biolabs Group Limited, a biotechnology company focused on the detection of immune responses and diagnosis of viral diseases, presented data evaluating the role of T-Cell dysfunction in post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS) at the World Immune Regulation Meeting (WIRM) in Davos, Switzerland.

PAISs Associated with T-Cell Dysfunction

PAISs are often associated with a dysfunction of the immune system, notably progressive T-Cell exhaustion. Chronic antigen stimulation following a chronic infection can cause upregulation of T-Cell exhaustion markers.  Data demonstrated that repeated stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with SARS-CoV-2 and CMV peptide pools increases the proportion of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-Cells expressing exhaustion markers PD-1, LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3, and CD39 with each stimulation cycle. T-Cell exhaustion is well documented to correlate with reduced cytokine production, particularly of pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in impaired immune functionality. Additionally, preliminary data from the ViraxImmune PAIS assay showed significant changes in the levels of a number of cytokines investigated in patients with PAIS compared to healthy controls.

Data presented by Virax related to T-Cell dysfunction. Chart: Virax

“This data highlights the critical role of T-Cell exhaustion in immune dysfunction, particularly in PAIS conditions like long COVID, ME/CFS and chronic Lyme disease,” says Nigel McCracken, chief operating officer at Virax Biolabs. “In conjunction, we have initiated a number of clinical validation studies to evaluate the performance our T-Cell-based diagnostic in assessing the link between T-Cell dysfunction and symptoms of chronic fatigue and cognitive impairment.”

Featured Image: Example of a T-Cell. Image: Kateryna Kon | Dreamstime.com