SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response in COVID-19 convalescent individuals

• Main Authors: Yunbao Pan, Xianghu Jiang, Liu Yang, Liangjun Chen, Xiaojiao Zeng, Guohong Liu, Yueting Tang, Chungen Qian, Xinming Wang, Fangming Cheng, Jun Lin, Xinghuan Wang, Yirong Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2021-07-01
• Series: Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-021-00686-1

Abstract We collected blood from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent individuals and investigated SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral and cellular immunity in these discharged patients. Follow-up analysis in a cohort of 171 patients at 4–11 months after the onset revealed high levels of IgG antibodies. A total of 78.1% (164/210) of the specimens tested positive for neutralizing antibody (NAb). SARS-CoV-2 antigen peptide pools-stimulated-IL-2 and -IFN-γ response can distinguish COVID-19 convalescent individuals from healthy donors. Interestingly, NAb survival was significantly affected by the antigen peptide pools-stimulated-IL-2 response, -IL-8 response, and -IFN-γ response. The antigen peptide pools-activated CD8+ T cell counts were correlated with NAb. The antigen peptide pools-activated natural killer (NK) cell counts in convalescent individuals were correlated with NAb and disease severity. Our data suggested that the development of NAb is associated with the activation of T cells and NK cells. Our work provides a basis for further analysis of the protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and for understanding the pathogenesis of COVID-19. It also has implications for the development of an effective vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 infection.