Abstract
Long-term adaptive immune memory has been reported among immunocompetent individuals up to eight months following SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, limited data is available in convalescent patients with a solid organ transplant. To investigate this, we performed a thorough evaluation of adaptive immune memory at different compartments (serological, memory B cells and cytokine [IFN-γ, IL-2, IFN-γ/IL12 and IL-21] producing T cells) specific to SARS-CoV-2 by ELISA and FluoroSpot-based assays in 102 convalescent patients (53 with a solid organ transplants (38 kidney, 5 liver, 5 lung and 5 heart transplant) and 49 immunocompetent controls) with different clinical COVID-19 severity (severe, mild and asymptomatic) beyond six months after infection. While similar detectable memory responses at different immune compartments were detected between those with a solid organ transplant and immunocompetent individuals, these responses were predominantly driven by distinct COVID-19 clinical severities (97.6%, 80.5% and 42.1%, all significantly different, were seropositive; 84% vs 75% vs 35.7%, all significantly different, showed IgG-producing memory B cells and 82.5%, 86.9% and 31.6%, displayed IFN-γ producing T cells; in severe, mild and asymptomatic convalescent patients, respectively). Notably, patients with a solid organ transplant with longer time after transplantation did more likely show detectable long-lasting immune memory, regardless of COVID-19 severity. Thus, our study shows that patients with a solid organ transplant are capable of maintaining long-lasting peripheral immune memory after COVID-19 infection; mainly determined by the degree of infection severity.
Keywords: COVID-19 infection; adaptive immunity; solid organ transplantation.
【저자키워드】 Adaptive immunity, solid organ transplantation, COVID-19 infection, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adaptive immunity, adaptive, T cells, SARS-COV-2 infection, severity, Infection, COVID-19 severity, memory B cells, solid organ transplantation, lung, cytokine, ELISA, immune, kidney, Convalescent patients, Asymptomatic, COVID-19 infection, response, Patient, Mild, immune memory, serological, liver, seropositive, convalescent patient, memory B cell, IFN-γ, solid organ transplant, IL-2, IFN-γ producing T cells, Clinical severity, memory response, organ transplantation, solid organ, transplantation, determined by, individual, while, controls, solid organ transplants, IL12, performed, significantly, reported, detectable, eight, long-lasting, producing, individuals, driven by, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, adaptive, Transplant, immune memory, convalescent, recipient, Solid,