Systematic evaluation of nasal immune cell sampling and antigen-specific t cell detection using cryopreserved nasal swabs

ABSTRACT: The upper respiratory tract is a key entry point for pathogens, yet local tissue-resident memory T cells (Trm) remain understudied compared to memory T cells in peripheral blood. Here, we systematically compared nasal curettes and flocked swabs for immune cell sampling from the nose, assessing yield, operator variability, and T cell phenotypes across the nasal turbinates and nasopharynx. The use of flocked swabs yielded higher immune cell numbers while being similarly tolerable. Nasal turbinate-derived Trm subsets were consistent, whereas nasopharyngeal Trm displayed a more recently recruited phenotype. Multiple cryopreservation media were compared, all of which demonstrated high viability after thawing. Antigen-specificity was assessed using activation-induced marker (AIM) assay, cytokine release assays and peptide–HLA tetramer staining. Notably, influenza virus-specific T cells were reliably detected in more than half of the cryopreserved nasal samples. These findings establish a robust approach for nasal Trm sampling and profiling, while demonstrating that cryopreservation preserves antigen-specific T cells. This work enables standardized, minimally invasive nasal immune monitoring for multi-center studies, including mucosal vaccination trials and controlled human infection models, providing a critical framework for understanding local immunity at the site of pathogen entry.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens (human)

SUBMITTER: Ted 

PROVIDER: S-BSST2826 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other