Understanding the causes of the diverse outcome of COVID-19 pandemic in different geographical locations is important for the worldwide vaccine implementation and pandemic control responses. We analyzed 42 unexposed healthy donors and 28 mild COVID-19 subjects up to 5 months from the recovery for SARS-CoV-2 specific immunological memory. Using HLA class II predicted peptide megapools, we identified SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive CD4 + T cells in around 66% of the unexposed individuals. Moreover, we found detectable immune memory in mild COVID-19 patients several months after recovery in the crucial arms of protective adaptive immunity; CD4 + T cells and B cells, with a minimal contribution from CD8 + T cells. Interestingly, the persistent immune memory in COVID-19 patients is predominantly targeted towards the Spike glycoprotein of the SARS-CoV-2. This study provides the evidence of both high magnitude pre-existing and persistent immune memory in Indian population. By providing the knowledge on cellular immune responses to SARS-CoV-2, our work has implication for the development and implementation of vaccines against COVID-19.
【저자키워드】 neutralizing antibody, B cells, CD4+ T cells, pre-existing immunity, human coronavirus, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Vaccine, pandemic, adaptive, Cellular immune response, T cells, knowledge, COVID-19 pandemic, spike glycoprotein, B cells, peptide, outcome, CD4, CD8, Immunological memory, T cell, immune responses, implementation, understanding, Mild, immune memory, glycoprotein, Protective, Evidence, HLA class II, COVID-19 patient, cross-reactive, evidence of, subject, causes, geographical location, cellular immune responses, mild COVID-19 patients, peptide megapools, responses, Arm, healthy donor, predicted, analyzed, detectable, provide, magnitude, cause, individuals, the Spike, mild COVID-19 patient, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, response, persistent,