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Impaired Cytotoxic CD8
- Source :
- mBio, mBio, Vol 11, Iss 5 (2020)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Cytotoxic T cells are responsible for the elimination of infected cells and are key players in the control of viruses. CD8+ T cells with an effector phenotype express cytotoxic molecules and are able to perform target cell killing. COVID-19 patients with a mild disease course were analyzed for the differentiation status and cytotoxic profile of CD8+ T cells. SARS-CoV-2 infection induced a vigorous cytotoxic CD8+ T cell response. However, this cytotoxic profile of T cells was not detected in COVID-19 patients over the age of 80 years. Thus, the absence of a cytotoxic response in elderly patients might be a possible reason for the more frequent severity of COVID-19 in this age group than in younger patients.<br />Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces a T cell response that most likely contributes to virus control in COVID-19 patients but may also induce immunopathology. Until now, the cytotoxic T cell response has not been very well characterized in COVID-19 patients. Here, we analyzed the differentiation and cytotoxic profile of T cells in 30 cases of mild COVID-19 during acute infection. SARS-CoV-2 infection induced a cytotoxic response of CD8+ T cells, but not CD4+ T cells, characterized by the simultaneous production of granzyme A and B as well as perforin within different effector CD8+ T cell subsets. PD-1-expressing CD8+ T cells also produced cytotoxic molecules during acute infection, indicating that they were not functionally exhausted. However, in COVID-19 patients over the age of 80 years, the cytotoxic T cell potential was diminished, especially in effector memory and terminally differentiated effector CD8+ cells, showing that elderly patients have impaired cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Our data provide valuable information about T cell responses in COVID-19 patients that may also have important implications for vaccine development.
- Subjects :
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
Male
Cellular immunity
viruses
Medizin
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
CD4+
0302 clinical medicine
T-Lymphocyte Subsets
PD-1
Cytotoxic T cell
perforin
Aged, 80 and over
0303 health sciences
Immunity, Cellular
biology
Cytotoxins
Middle Aged
QR1-502
Cell killing
medicine.anatomical_structure
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
Female
Erratum
Coronavirus Infections
Research Article
T cell
Pneumonia, Viral
Microbiology
Host-Microbe Biology
03 medical and health sciences
Betacoronavirus
Antigens, CD
Virology
medicine
Humans
Pandemics
030304 developmental biology
business.industry
SARS-CoV-2
cytotoxic T cells
granzyme
aging
COVID-19
CD8+
Granzyme
Perforin
Immunology
biology.protein
Granzyme A
business
human activities
CD8
T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 21507511
- Volume :
- 11
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- mBio
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....fde012945996b1ebb21001a4869ace64