Monocyte subset redistribution from blood to kidneys in patients with Puumala virus caused hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

Innate immune cells like monocytes patrol the vasculature and mucosal surfaces, recognize pathogens, rapidly redistribute to affected tissues and cause inflammation by secretion of cytokines. We previously showed that monocytes are reduced in blood but accumulate in the airways of patients with Puumala virus (PUUV) caused hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). However, the dynamics of monocyte infiltration to the kidneys during HFRS, and its impact on disease severity are currently unknown. Here, we examined longitudinal peripheral blood samples and renal biopsies from HFRS patients and performed in vitro experiments to investigate the fate of monocytes during HFRS. During the early stages of HFRS, circulating CD14-CD16+ nonclassical monocytes (NCMs) that patrol the vasculature were reduced in most patients. Instead, CD14+CD16- classical (CMs) and CD14+CD16+ intermediate monocytes (IMs) were increased in blood, in particular in HFRS patients with more severe disease. Blood monocytes from patients with acute HFRS expressed higher levels of HLA-DR, the endothelial adhesion marker CD62L and the chemokine receptors CCR7 and CCR2, as compared to convalescence, suggesting monocyte activation and migration to peripheral tissues during acute HFRS. Supporting this hypothesis, increased numbers of HLA-DR+, CD14+, CD16+ and CD68+ cells were observed in the renal tissues of acute HFRS patients compared to controls. In vitro, blood CD16+ monocytes upregulated CD62L after direct exposure to PUUV whereas CD16- monocytes upregulated CCR7 after contact with PUUV-infected endothelial cells, suggesting differential mechanisms of activation and response between monocyte subsets. Together, our findings suggest that NCMs are reduced in blood, potentially via CD62L-mediated attachment to endothelial cells and monocytes are recruited to the kidneys during HFRS. Monocyte mobilization, activation and functional impairment together may influence the severity of disease in acute PUUV-HFRS. Author summary Hantaviruses are re-emerging human pathogens that can cause severe disease, typically manifesting in the lungs or kidneys. The virus preferentially infects the endothelial cells without killing them. Therefore, the vascular leakage associated with hantavirus disease, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is believed to be a consequence of the dysregulated immune response to infection. In the present study, in a cohort of PUUV-infected patients with acute HFRS, we describe a striking depletion of nonclassical monocytes from circulation while classical and intermediate monocyte frequencies are increased. Importantly, we found increased numbers of cells expressing monocyte and macrophage markers in the kidneys of patients with HFRS. The monocytes remaining in circulation show signs of activation, migration to the periphery and impairment in their ability to respond to TLR stimulation. Interestingly, the magnitude of monocyte activation was associated with greater disease severity. In addition, we also noted that different monocyte subsets differ in how they recognize and respond to cell-free or cell-associated hantavirus exposure. Collectively, our study greatly adds to what is currently known about how monocytes behave during human hantavirus disease, and highlights the importance of studying functional differences across the major monocyte subsets at greater resolution.

Automated summary

In patients with acute HFRS, there is a decrease in nonclassical monocytes in circulation while classical and intermediate monocyte frequencies increase. Monocytes in the blood of acute HFRS patients show signs of activation and migration to peripheral tissues. The activation of monocytes during HFRS may play a role in influencing disease severity.