The Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response in a Centenarian Woman: A Case of Long-Term Memory?

Elisa Toppi,Gianpaolo Zarletti,Massimo Tiberi,Giuseppe Scapigliati,Veronica De Molfetta,Paola Bossù

doi:10.3390/v13091704

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, causing respiratory syndrome and other manifestations. The clinical consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 infection are highly heterogeneous, ranging from asymptomatic and mild to severe and fatal conditions, with the highest mortality rate reached among elderly people. Such heterogeneity appears strongly influenced by the host immune response, which in turn is profoundly affected by aging. In fact, the occurrence of a low-grade inflammation and a decline in specific immune defense is generally reported in older people. Although the low ability of B cells to provide primary and secondary specific responses with a consequent increase in susceptibility to and severity of virus infections is generally described in elderly people, we would like to present here the particular case of a 100-year-old woman, who recovered well from COVID-19 and developed a long-term memory against SARS-CoV-2. Following the infection, the patient’s blood was tested with both a classical ELISA and a specific Cell-ELISA addressed to measure the anti-spike S1 specific IgG released in plasma or produced in vitro by memory B cells, respectively. While showing negative on classical serological testing, the patient’s blood was positive in Cell-ELISA up to 1 year after the infection. Our observation highlights a potential mechanism of B cell-dependent, long-term protection in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting that in a case of successful aging, the absence of specific antibodies in serum does not necessarily mean the absence of immune memory.

Highlights

The new coronavirus was identified as SARSCoV-2 and, in March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic caused by this virus
Our paper aims to illustrate a clinical case history of a centenarian woman patient who recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia, developing an immune response characterized by a long-term B cell memory response against SARS-CoV-2
When the ELISA serological examination was performed in the centenarian woman’s plasma, no measurable circulating IgG were observed at both time points

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Evidence from studies around the world suggests that age is the most significant risk factor for severe COVID-19 disease and its adverse health outcomes [4,5,6,7]. In contrast to the above-described condition that mainly affects frail subjects and implies COVID-19 high vulnerability, in fewer cases, aging is characterized by high physical, psychological, and social functioning, in the absence of common age-related diseases and disability, known as successful aging. Still few studies are available on how aging can modify the host immune response against the novel virus strain SARS-CoV-2. Our paper aims to illustrate a clinical case history of a centenarian woman patient who recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia, developing an immune response characterized by a long-term B cell memory response against SARS-CoV-2

Case Description

Results

Discussion the same timedescribed points ofregards was performed on isolated