SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response in COVID-19 convalescent individuals

• Published in: Signal transduction and targeted therapy Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 256
• Main Authors: Pan, Yunbao, Jiang, Xianghu, Yang, Liu, Chen, Liangjun, Zeng, Xiaojiao, Liu, Guohong, Tang, Yueting, Qian, Chungen, Wang, Xinming, Cheng, Fangming, Lin, Jun, Wang, Xinghuan, Li, Yirong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 07.07.2021; Nature Publishing Group UK
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Neutralizing - immunology; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; Antigens; CD8 antigen; Cell activation; Cell-mediated immunity; Convalescence; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - immunology; Cytokines - immunology; Female; Humans; Humoral immunity; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Humoral; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Interleukin 2; Interleukin 8; Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Lymphocytes T; Male; Middle Aged; Natural killer cells; Peptides; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Young Adult; γ-Interferon
• ISSN: 2059-3635; 2095-9907; 2059-3635
• DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00686-1

We collected blood from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent individuals and investigated SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral and cellular immunity in these discharged patients. Follow-up analysis in a cohort of 171 patients at 4-11 months after the onset revealed high levels of IgG antibodies. A total of 78.1% (164/210) of the specimens tested positive for neutralizing antibody (NAb). SARS-CoV-2 antigen peptide pools-stimulated-IL-2 and -IFN-γ response can distinguish COVID-19 convalescent individuals from healthy donors. Interestingly, NAb survival was significantly affected by the antigen peptide pools-stimulated-IL-2 response, -IL-8 response, and -IFN-γ response. The antigen peptide pools-activated CD8+ T cell counts were correlated with NAb. The antigen peptide pools-activated natural killer (NK) cell counts in convalescent individuals were correlated with NAb and disease severity. Our data suggested that the development of NAb is associated with the activation of T cells and NK cells. Our work provides a basis for further analysis of the protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and for understanding the pathogenesis of COVID-19. It also has implications for the development of an effective vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 infection.