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Immunomodulatory Effect of the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) Vaccine on the In Vitro Interferon Response Induced by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Antigens Cover

Immunomodulatory Effect of the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) Vaccine on the In Vitro Interferon Response Induced by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Antigens

Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis
Volume 73 (2025): Issue 1 (January 2025)
By: Magdalena Jurczak,  Joanna Kaczmarek,  Magdalena Kowalewska-Pietrzak and  Magdalena Druszczynska  
Open Access
|Mar 2025

Figures & Tables

Fig 1.

The serum level of IFN-α (A), IFN-β (B), and IFN-γ (C) in the study groups. Differences in the levels of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ concentrations between the studied groups were compared using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis two-way ANOVA with Dunn’s post-test. A p-value was considered significant if <0.05. A result of > 0.05 was not statistically significant. IFN, interferon; RSV(−) SARS-CoV-2(−), group seronegative for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+) SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+), group seropositive for RSV infection; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
The serum level of IFN-α (A), IFN-β (B), and IFN-γ (C) in the study groups. Differences in the levels of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ concentrations between the studied groups were compared using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis two-way ANOVA with Dunn’s post-test. A p-value was considered significant if <0.05. A result of > 0.05 was not statistically significant. IFN, interferon; RSV(−) SARS-CoV-2(−), group seronegative for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+) SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+), group seropositive for RSV infection; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Fig 2.

Levels of IFN-α (A), IFN-β (B), and IFN-γ (C) in cell culture supernatants across study groups. The values depicted in the graphs represent the differences in cytokine levels between the stimulated and unstimulated cultures. The value on the y-axis is the delta value relative to the unstimulated control sample. Differences in the levels of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ concentrations between the studied groups were compared using the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis two-way ANOVA with Dunn’s post-test. A p-value was considered significant if <0.05. BCG, bacillus Calmette–Guérin; IFN, interferon; RSV(−) SARS-CoV-2(−), group seronegative for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+) SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+), group seropositive for RSV infection; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
Levels of IFN-α (A), IFN-β (B), and IFN-γ (C) in cell culture supernatants across study groups. The values depicted in the graphs represent the differences in cytokine levels between the stimulated and unstimulated cultures. The value on the y-axis is the delta value relative to the unstimulated control sample. Differences in the levels of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ concentrations between the studied groups were compared using the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis two-way ANOVA with Dunn’s post-test. A p-value was considered significant if <0.05. BCG, bacillus Calmette–Guérin; IFN, interferon; RSV(−) SARS-CoV-2(−), group seronegative for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+) SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(+), group seropositive for RSV infection; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Fig 3.

Differential expression of IFN-A5 mRNA (A), IFN-β mRNA (B), and IFN-γ mRNA (C) in co-stimulated cultures with BCG and viral antigens among study groups. The values depicted in the graphs represent the differences in cytokine levels between the stimulated and unstimulated cultures. The value on the y-axis is the fold change from the unstimulated control. Differences in the levels of IFN-γ concentrations between the studied groups were compared using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis two-way ANOVA with Dunn’s post-test. A p-value was considered significant if <0.05. BCG, bacillus Calmette–Guérin; IFN, interferon; IFNA5, interferon-alpha 5; RSV(+), group seropositive for RSV infection; RSV(+)SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(−)SARS-CoV-2(−), group seronegative for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
Differential expression of IFN-A5 mRNA (A), IFN-β mRNA (B), and IFN-γ mRNA (C) in co-stimulated cultures with BCG and viral antigens among study groups. The values depicted in the graphs represent the differences in cytokine levels between the stimulated and unstimulated cultures. The value on the y-axis is the fold change from the unstimulated control. Differences in the levels of IFN-γ concentrations between the studied groups were compared using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis two-way ANOVA with Dunn’s post-test. A p-value was considered significant if <0.05. BCG, bacillus Calmette–Guérin; IFN, interferon; IFNA5, interferon-alpha 5; RSV(+), group seropositive for RSV infection; RSV(+)SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV(−)SARS-CoV-2(−), group seronegative for RSV and SARS-CoV-2; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2(+), group seropositive for SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Fig 4.

Correlation between mRNA expression and IFNs level in co-stimulated cultures with BCG and viral antigens among study groups. The correlation between mRNA expression and IFN level was analyzed using the Spearman’s correlation test. BCG, bacillus Calmette–Guérin; IFN, interferon; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. IFN-α mRNA expression in whole blood cultures stimulated with antigens: A-BCG, B-SARS-CoV-2, C-RSV, D-BCG+SARS-CoV-2, E-BCG+RSV. IFN-β mRNA expression in whole blood cultures stimulated with antigens: F-BCG, G-SARS-CoV-2, H-RSV, I-BCG+SARS-CoV-2, JBCG+RSV. IFN-γ mRNA expression in whole blood cultures stimulated with antigens: K-BCG, L-SARS-CoV-2, M-RSV, N-BCG+SARS-CoV-2, O-BCG+RSV.
Correlation between mRNA expression and IFNs level in co-stimulated cultures with BCG and viral antigens among study groups. The correlation between mRNA expression and IFN level was analyzed using the Spearman’s correlation test. BCG, bacillus Calmette–Guérin; IFN, interferon; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. IFN-α mRNA expression in whole blood cultures stimulated with antigens: A-BCG, B-SARS-CoV-2, C-RSV, D-BCG+SARS-CoV-2, E-BCG+RSV. IFN-β mRNA expression in whole blood cultures stimulated with antigens: F-BCG, G-SARS-CoV-2, H-RSV, I-BCG+SARS-CoV-2, JBCG+RSV. IFN-γ mRNA expression in whole blood cultures stimulated with antigens: K-BCG, L-SARS-CoV-2, M-RSV, N-BCG+SARS-CoV-2, O-BCG+RSV.

The characteristics of the groups of the study

ParameterGroups
RSV(+)SARS-CoV-2(+)RSV(+) SARS-CoV-2(+)RSV(−) SARS-CoV-2 (−)
N1417116
Sex M/F6/812/55/62/4
EthnicityCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasian
Age median9988
Age range7–126–127–127–12
BCG vaccination100%100%100%100%
Leukocytes (tys/μL)8.277.558.649.42
Erythrocytes (mln/μL)4.754.834.815.26
Hemoglobin (g/dL)13.2912.7613.5213.43
Hematocrit (%)39.0038.9339.5039.15
MCV (fl)82.2177.7682.3674.50
MCH (pg)28.0028.0428.1825.50
MCHC (g/dL)34.0650.6234.2134.17
Platelets (tys/μL)306.29304.71333.18424.83
RDW-SD (fl)38.8236.0438.9037.02
RDW-CV (%)13.1612.1813.1514.03
PDW (fl)11.5712.4611.4110.22
MPV (fl)10.0610.1510.049.25
P-LCR (%)25.6425.9825.4719.40
PCT (%)0.340.320.350.40
Neutrophils (%)49.2345.7451.6952.48
Lymphocytes (%)35.6635.9634.4333.68
Monocytes (%)9.458.638.656.82
Eosinophils (%)5.187.794.755.30
Basophils (%)0.360.550.350.58
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aite-2025-0007 | Journal eISSN: 1661-4917
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Language: English
Submitted on: Oct 21, 2024
Accepted on: Jan 29, 2025
Published on: Mar 18, 2025
Published by: Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year
Keywords:
Bacillus Calmette–Guérin,
Interferon,
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,
Respiratory syncytial virus
Related subjects:
Medicine,
Basic medical science,
Biochemistry,
Immunology,
Clinical medicine,
Clinical medicine, other,
Clinical chemistry

© 2025 Magdalena Jurczak, Joanna Kaczmarek, Magdalena Kowalewska-Pietrzak, Magdalena Druszczynska, published by Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

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