Abstract
Understanding how older people respond to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical if we are to confront the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and establish effective vaccination strategies. Immunosenescence reduces the ability to respond to neoantigens and may compromise the life of infected individuals. Here, we analyzed the immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 in 102 recovered patients aged over 60 years several months after the infection had been resolved. Specific memory T lymphocytes against the virus were measured by interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and granzyme B release by ELISpot; memory B-lymphocyte responses were quantified by detection of anti-S IgG1 producer cells by ELISpot and anti-S and anti-N antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Memory T lymphocytes were found in peripheral blood of most of the studied donors, more than 7 months after the infection in some of them. Fewer patients maintained memory B lymphocytes, but antibodies, mainly anti-S, were highly durable and positively correlated with T responses. More robust humoral responses were found in patients who had more severe symptoms and had been admitted to hospital. We concluded that specific immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is effectively preserved regardless of age, despite the great heterogeneity of their immune responses, and that memory T lymphocytes and anti-S IgG might be more durable than memory B cells and anti-N IgG.
Keywords: COVID-19; memory B lymphocytes; memory T lymphocytes; specific antibodies.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, specific antibodies, memory B lymphocytes, memory T lymphocytes, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, antibodies, SARS-CoV-2, Coronavirus disease 2019, coronavirus, pandemic, Lymphocytes, Immunity, hospital, Infection, memory B cells, interferon, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, virus, Immunological memory, heterogeneity, ELISA, memory, Peripheral blood, lymphocyte, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunosenescence, Humoral response, anti-N antibodies, immune responses, response, Vaccination strategies, Patient, understanding, age, ELISPOT, T lymphocytes, donors, respiratory, Critical, IgG1, memory B cell, IFN-γ, specific antibodies, anti-N IgG, anti-S IgG, granzyme B, life, in some, determined by, specific immunity, interferon-γ, acute respiratory syndrome, Older, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, enzyme, infected individuals, T lymphocyte, Fewer patients, anti-S, Specific, memory T, responses, effective, enzyme-linked immunosorbent, memory B, robust, recovered patient, analyzed, reduce, respond, resolved, were measured, severe symptom, quantified, anti-N antibody, Fewer patient, had more, positively correlated, preserved, producer cell, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, show, Month,