SARS-CoV-2 Induces Cytokine Responses in Human Basophils

• Published in: Frontiers in immunology 2022-02, Vol.13, p.838448-838448
• Main Authors: Bonam, Srinivasa Reddy, Chauvin, Camille, Levillayer, Laurine, Mathew, Mano Joseph, Sakuntabhai, Anavaj, Bayry, Jagadeesh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergology; B7-H1 Antigen - metabolism; basophils; Basophils - immunology; Biomarkers - metabolism; Caco-2 cells; Cells, Cultured; COVID-19; COVID-19 - immunology; Humans; IL-13; IL-3; Immunology; Innate immunity; Interleukin-13 - metabolism; Interleukin-3 - metabolism; Life Sciences; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - physiology; Virus Replication
• ISSN: 1664-3224; 1664-3224
• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.838448

Basophils play a key role in the orientation of immune responses. Though the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with various immune cells has been relatively well studied, the response of basophils to this pandemic virus is not characterized yet. In this study, we report that SARS-CoV-2 induces cytokine responses and in particular IL-13, in both resting and IL-3 primed basophils. The response was prominent under IL-3 primed condition. However, either SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV-2-infected epithelial cells did not alter the expression of surface markers associated with the activation of basophils, such as CD69, CD13 and/or degranulation marker CD107a. We also validate that human basophils are not permissive to SARS-CoV-2 replication. Though increased expression of immune checkpoint molecule PD-L1 has been reported on the basophils from COVID-19 patients, we observed that SARS-CoV-2 does not induce PD-L1 on the basophils. Our data suggest that basophil cytokine responses to SARS-CoV-2 might help in reducing the inflammation and also to promote antibody responses to the virus.