Peripheral and lung resident memory T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34021148.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-23333-3 and PMC identifier 8140108.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Resident memory T cells (T<sub>RM</sub>) positioned within the respiratory tract are probably required to limit SARS-CoV-2 spread and COVID-19. Importantly, T<sub>RM</sub> are mostly non-recirculating, which reduces the window of opportunity to examine these cells in the blood as they move to the lung parenchyma. Here, we identify circulating virus-specific T cell responses during acute infection with functional, migratory and apoptotic patterns modulated by viral proteins and associated with clinical outcome. Disease severity is associated predominantly with IFNγ and IL-4 responses, increased responses against S peptides and apoptosis, whereas non-hospitalized patients have increased IL-12p70 levels, degranulation in response to N peptides and SARS-CoV-2-specific CCR7<sup>+</sup> T cells secreting IL-10. In convalescent patients, lung-T<sub>RM</sub> are frequently detected even 10 months after initial infection, in which contemporaneous blood does not reflect tissue-resident profiles. Our study highlights a balanced anti-inflammatory antiviral response associated with a better outcome and persisting T<sub>RM</sub> cells as important for future protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Medical subject headings
- COVID-19
- Immunologic Memory
- Lung
- SARS-CoV-2
- T-Lymphocytes