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Reactive T Cells in Convalescent COVID-19 Patients With Negative SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Serology.
- Source :
-
Frontiers in immunology [Front Immunol] 2021 Jul 12; Vol. 12, pp. 687449. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Jul 12 (Print Publication: 2021). - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Despite RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19, specific antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike are undetectable in serum in approximately 10% of convalescent patients after mild disease course. This raises the question of induction and persistence of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in these convalescent individuals. Using flow cytometry, we assessed specific SARS-CoV-2 and human endemic coronaviruses (HCoV-229E, -OC43) reactive T cells after stimulation with spike and nucleocapsid peptide pools and analyzed cytokine polyfunctionality (IFN γ , TNFα, and IL-2) in seropositive and seronegative convalescent COVID-19 patients as well as in unexposed healthy controls. Stimulation with SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid (NCAP) as well as HCoV spike peptide pools elicited a similar T cell response in seropositive and seronegative post COVID-19 patients. Significantly higher frequencies of polyfunctional cytokine nucleocapsid reactive CD4+ T cells (triple positive for IFN γ , TNFα, and IL-2) were observed in both, seropositive (p = 0.008) and seronegative (p = 0.04), COVID-19 convalescent compared to healthy controls and were detectable up to day 162 post RT-PCR positivity in seronegative convalescents. Our data indicate an important role of NCAP-specific T cells for viral control.<br />Competing Interests: VC is named together with Euroimmun on a patent application filed recently regarding detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.<br /> (Copyright © 2021 Steiner, Schwarz, Corman, Sotzny, Bauer, Drosten, Volk, Scheibenbogen and Hanitsch.)
- Subjects :
- Adult
COVID-19 Serological Testing
Cells, Cultured
Convalescence
Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins immunology
Female
Humans
Lymphocyte Activation
Male
Middle Aged
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus immunology
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology
COVID-19 immunology
Coronavirus 229E, Human physiology
SARS-CoV-2 physiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1664-3224
- Volume :
- 12
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Frontiers in immunology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 34322120
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.687449