Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39133756›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2024

NK cells modulate in vivo control of SARS-CoV-2 replication and suppression of lung damage.

Harikrishnan Balachandran, Kyle Kroll, Karen Terry, Cordelia Manickam, Rhianna Jones, Griffin Woolley, Tammy Hayes, Amanda J Martinot, Ankur Sharma, Mark Lewis and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. An autoimmunity-associated allele ofProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. An Autoimmunity-associated allele ofbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Harikrishnan BalachandranDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
Kyle KrollDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
Karen TerryDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
Cordelia ManickamDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
Rhianna JonesDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
Griffin WoolleyDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
Tammy HayesDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Amanda J MartinotDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Ankur SharmaBIOQUAL, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
Mark LewisBIOQUAL, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
Stephanie JostDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
R Keith ReevesDivision of Innate and Comparative Immunology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0003-3157-2557

Funding

Nonhuman Primate Reagent ResourceU24AI126683 · NIAID · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · PI Diogo Magnani · 2016 to 2026
$20.1M
Heterosubtypic immunity to influenza virus mediated by MHC-E-restricted memory NK cellsR01AI158516 · NIAID · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI JOST, STEPHANIE, REEVES, ROGER KEITH · 2021 to 2025
$3.7M
Role of maternal-fetal interface NK cells in pregnancy maintenance and congenital CMV transmissionR01HD103721 · NICHD · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · PI Amitinder Kaur, Sallie R. Permar · 2022 to 2026
$3.6M
NK cell mobilization as a pathogenic etiology of SARS-CoV-2 gastrointestinal diseaseR01DK130472 · NIDDK · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI REEVES, ROGER KEITH · 2021 to 2023
$1.2M
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI158516NIAID NIH HHS U24 AI126683NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD103721NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK130472
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in virus control. However, it has remained largely unclear whether NK cell mobilization in SARS-CoV-2 infections is beneficial or pathologic. To address this deficit, we employed a validated experimental NK cell depletion non-human primate (NHP) model with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant B.1.617.2 challenge. Viral loads (VL), NK cell numbers, activation, proliferation, and functional measures were evaluated in blood and tissues. In non-depleted (control) animals, infection rapidly induced NK cell expansion, activation, and increased tissue trafficking associated with VL. Strikingly, we report that experimental NK cell depletion leads to higher VL, longer duration of viral shedding, significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the lungs, and overt lung damage. Overall, we find the first significant and conclusive evidence for NK cell-mediated control of SARS-CoV-2 virus replication and disease pathology. These data indicate that adjunct therapies for infection could largely benefit from NK cell-targeted approaches.

Indexed as

COVID-19Killer Cells, NaturalLungSARS-CoV-2Viral LoadVirus ReplicationAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalHumansMacaca mulattaPandemics

Identifiers

PMID39133756
PMCPMC11341101

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.