Circulating effector γδ T cell populations are associated with acute coronavirus disease 19 in unvaccinated individuals

• Published in: Immunology and cell biology Vol. 101; no. 4; p. 321
• Main Authors: von Borstel, Anouk, Nguyen, Thi Ho, Rowntree, Louise C, Ashhurst, Thomas M, Allen, Lilith F, Howson, Lauren J, Holmes, Natasha E, Smibert, Olivia C, Trubiano, Jason A, Gordon, Claire L, Cheng, Allen C, Kent, Stephen J, Rossjohn, Jamie, Kedzierska, Katherine, Davey, Martin S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Acute Disease; COVID-19; Humans; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; SARS-CoV-2; T-Lymphocyte Subsets; COVID-19; γδ T cells; SARS-CoV-2; Vδ1 T cells; Vδ2 T cells
• ISSN: 1440-1711
• DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12623

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a small proportion of infected individuals. The immune system plays an important role in the defense against SARS-CoV-2, but our understanding of the cellular immune parameters that contribute to severe COVID-19 disease is incomplete. Here, we show that populations of effector γδ T cells are associated with COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients with acute disease. We found that circulating CD27 CD45RA CX3CR1 Vδ1 cells expressing Granzymes (Gzms) were enriched in COVID-19 patients with acute disease. Moreover, higher frequencies of GzmB Vδ2 T cells were observed in acute COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 infection did not alter the γδ T cell receptor repertoire of either Vδ1 or Vδ2 subsets. Our work demonstrates an association between effector populations of γδ T cells and acute COVID-19 in unvaccinated individuals.