Despite RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19, specific antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike are undetectable in serum in approximately 10% of convalescent patients after mild disease course. This raises the question of induction and persistence of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in these convalescent individuals. Using flow cytometry, we assessed specific SARS-CoV-2 and human endemic coronaviruses (HCoV-229E, -OC43) reactive T cells after stimulation with spike and nucleocapsid peptide pools and analyzed cytokine polyfunctionality (IFN γ , TNFα, and IL-2) in seropositive and seronegative convalescent COVID-19 patients as well as in unexposed healthy controls. Stimulation with SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid (NCAP) as well as HCoV spike peptide pools elicited a similar T cell response in seropositive and seronegative post COVID-19 patients. Significantly higher frequencies of polyfunctional cytokine nucleocapsid reactive CD4+ T cells (triple positive for IFN γ , TNFα, and IL-2) were observed in both, seropositive (p = 0.008) and seronegative (p = 0.04), COVID-19 convalescent compared to healthy controls and were detectable up to day 162 post RT-PCR positivity in seronegative convalescents. Our data indicate an important role of NCAP-specific T cells for viral control.
【저자키워드】 Antibody Response, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), T cell response, seronegative, human endemic coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), human endemic coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, T cells, peptide, cytokine, RT-PCR, flow cytometry, serum, T cell, Convalescent patients, Viral, nucleocapsid, persistence, HCoV, Mild, HCoV-229E, IFN, convalescent, seropositive, seronegative, CD4+ T cell, COVID-19 patients, convalescent patient, specific antibodies, SARS-CoV-2 spike, IL-2, Stimulation, Endemic, Frequency, healthy control, disease course, TNFα, healthy controls, viral control, positive, convalescent individuals, reactive, raise, analyzed, detectable, specific antibody, question, elicited, convalescent COVID-19 patient, peptide pool, undetectable, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, T cells, negative,