SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells exhibit unique features reflecting robust helper function, lack of terminal differentiation, and high proliferative potential

Convalescing COVID-19 patients mount robust T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2, suggesting an important role for T cells in viral clearance. To date, the phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells remain poorly defined. Using 38-parameter CyTOF, we phenotyped longitudinal specimens of SARS-CoV-2-spe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:bioRxiv 2020-08
Main Authors: Neidleman, Jason, Luo, Xiaoyu, Frouard, Julie, Xie, Guorui, Gill, Gurjot, Stein, Ellen S, Mcgregor, Matthew, Ma, Tongcui, Ashley, George, Kosters, Astrid, Greene, Warner C, Vasquez, Joshua, Ghosn, Eliver, Lee, Sulggi, Roan, Nadia R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CD4 antigen
CD8 antigen
Cell differentiation
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes T
Phenotypes
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
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Summary:Convalescing COVID-19 patients mount robust T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2, suggesting an important role for T cells in viral clearance. To date, the phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells remain poorly defined. Using 38-parameter CyTOF, we phenotyped longitudinal specimens of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from nine individuals who recovered from mild COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cells were exclusively Th1 cells, and predominantly Tcm with phenotypic features of robust helper function. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells were predominantly Temra cells in a state of less terminal differentiation than most Temra cells. Subsets of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells express CD127, can homeostatically proliferate, and can persist for over two months. Our results suggest that long-lived and robust T cell immunity is generated following natural SARS-CoV-2 infection, and support an important role for SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in host control of COVID-19. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Footnotes * The updated manuscript includes additional donor specimens, and additional analyses including the results of a homeostatic proliferation assay. * https://datadryad.org/stash/landing/show?id=doi%3A10.7272%2FQ6RJ4GPP
DOI:10.1101/2020.06.08.138826