Abstract
BACKGROUNDT cell responses to the common cold coronaviruses have not been well characterized. Preexisting T cell immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been reported, and a recent study suggested that this immunity was due to cross-recognition of the novel coronavirus by T cells specific for the common cold coronaviruses.METHODSWe used the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay to characterize the T cell responses against peptide pools derived from the spike protein of 3 common cold coronaviruses (HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-OC43) and SARS-CoV-2 in 21 healthy donors (HDs) who were seronegative for SARS-CoV-2 and had no known exposure to the virus. An in vitro expansion culture assay was also used to analyze memory T cell responses.RESULTSWe found responses to the spike protein of the 3 common cold coronaviruses in many of the donors. We then focused on HCoV-NL63 and detected broad T cell responses to the spike protein and identified 22 targeted peptides. Interestingly, only 1 study participant had a significant response to SARS-CoV-2 spike or nucleocapsid protein in the ELISPOT assay. In vitro expansion studies suggested that T cells specific for the HCoV-NL63 spike protein in this individual could also recognize SARS-CoV-2 spike protein peptide pools.CONCLUSIONHDs have circulating T cells specific for the spike proteins of HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-OC43. T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins were present in only 1 participant and were potentially the result of cross-recognition by T cells specific for the common cold coronaviruses. Further studies are needed to determine whether this cross-recognition influences coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes.
Keywords: Adaptive immunity; Immunology; Infectious disease; T cells.
【저자키워드】 immunology, Adaptive immunity, Infectious disease, T cells., 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, immunology, SARS-CoV-2, Adaptive immunity, Coronavirus disease 2019, coronavirus, Immunity, T cells, HCoV-OC43, peptide, Infectious disease, in vitro, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, virus, Spike protein, nucleocapsid protein, Novel coronavirus, outcomes, T cell, Culture, response, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, T cell responses, HCoV, peptides, HCoV-229E, NL63, ELISPOT, donors, common cold, ELISpot assay, T cell response, seronegative, memory T cell, OC43, SARS-CoV-2 spike, HCoV-NL63, 229E, Spike proteins, exposure to, acute respiratory syndrome, Recognition, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, enzyme, enzyme-linked immunospot, Nucleocapsid proteins, circulating, common cold Coronaviruses, peptide pools, memory T, Cell, healthy donor, reported, characterized, determine, recognize, the spike protein, suggested, had no, influence, common cold coronavirus, peptide pool, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, T cell, common cold, T cell response, Donor, common cold coronavirus,