Logo image
Adaptive-like NK cell responses to influenza correlate with humoral immunity and are influenced by age and sex
Preprint   Open access

Adaptive-like NK cell responses to influenza correlate with humoral immunity and are influenced by age and sex

Eric Alves, Jared M. Oakes, Joshua D. Simmons, Jennifer Currenti, Jerome D. Coudert, Bree Foley, Joan Eason, Natasha B. Halasa, H. Keipp Talbot, Jessica L. Castilho, …
bioRxiv
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1.1
28/05/2025
PMID: 40501653
pdf
Preprint5.40 MBDownloadView
CC BY-NC-ND V4.0 Open Access

Abstract

Immunology
Influenza remains a global health threat, infecting approximately one billion people annually and causing significant mortality, particularly among older adults. While hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibody titers are a standard correlate of immunity against influenza, they do not reliably predict protection in high-risk populations. Using multiomic single-cell profiling, we identified a distinct subset of adaptive-like NK cells that respond to influenza antigen, predominantly in younger females. These TNFSF10+LGALS9+ NK cells exhibit features of adaptive NK cells but lack classical cytomegalovirus-driven markers observed in previous studies. Notably, their increased frequency correlates with high pre-existing HAI titers, suggesting a link between adaptive-like NK responses and humoral immunity. Together, our findings identify an NK subset influenced by age and sex that may contribute to influenza protection, expanding the known diversity of adaptive-like NK cells. These insights could inform future vaccine strategies, particularly for aging populations, by integrating NK responses into assessments of vaccine efficacy.

Details

Metrics

4 File views/ downloads
28 Record Views
Logo image