Robust SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immunity is maintained at 6 months following primary infection.

Jianmin Zuo,Shazaad Ahmad,Bassam Hallis,Jusnara Begum,Hayden Pearce,Shamez Ladhani,Gayatri Amirthalingam,Ezra Linley,Jacqueline Hewson,Kriti Verma,Heather M Long,Stephen Taylor,Tim Brooks,Zahin Amin-Chowdhury,Alex Horsley,Lorrain Stapley,Alexander C Dowell,Felicity Aiano,Paul Moss,Katja Höschler ,Benjamin Parker ,Mary Ramsay ,Kevin E Brown ,Raymond Borrow

doi:10.1038/s41590-021-00902-8

Jianmin Zuo, Shazaad Ahmad + Show 22 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-021-00902-8

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The immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is critical in controlling disease but there is concern that waning immunity may predispose to re-infection. We analysed the magnitude and phenotype of the SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response in 100 donors at six months following infection. T-cell responses were present by ELISPOT and/or ICS analysis in all donors and characterised by predominant CD4+ T cell responses with strong IL-2 cytokine expression. Median T-cell responses were 50% higher in donors who had experienced a symptomatic infection indicating that the severity of primary infection establishes a ‘setpoint’ for cellular immunity. T-cell responses to spike and nucleoprotein/membrane proteins were correlated with peak antibody levels. Furthermore, higher levels of nucleoprotein-specific T cells were associated with preservation of NP-specific antibody level although no such correlation was observed in relation to spike-specific responses. In conclusion, our data are reassuring that functional SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses are retained at six months following infection.

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The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to over 2 million deaths to date and there is an urgent need for an effective vaccine[1]
Antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 are characterized by responses against a range of viral proteins, including the spike, nucleoprotein and membrane proteins
Information derived from study of immunity to related viruses such as SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome[9] has shown that cellular immune responses against these viruses are maintained for longer periods of time compared to antibody responses[10,11]

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Introduction

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to over 2 million deaths to date and there is an urgent need for an effective vaccine[1]. Information derived from study of immunity to related viruses such as SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome[9] has shown that cellular immune responses against these viruses are maintained for longer periods of time compared to antibody responses[10,11]. Studies to date have shown that virus-specific cellular responses develop in virtually all patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection[14]. These responses remain detectable for several weeks following infection but it is currently unknown how they are maintained thereafter[15].

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