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14 Sep 2021
DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abk0894
JULIA NIESSL, TAKUYA SEKINE, JOSHUA LANGE, VIKTORIA KONYA, MARIANNE FORKEL, JOVANA MARICANNA, RAOLUCA MAZZURANA, EFTHYMIA KOKKINOU, [...] MARCUS BUGGERT
+ 10 authors
Abstract
Cross-reactive CD4+ T cells that recognize SARS-CoV-2 are more commonly detected in the peripheral blood of unexposed individuals compared to SARS-CoV-2-reactive CD8+T cells. However, large numbers of memory CD8+ T cells reside in tissues, feasibly harboring localized SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses. To test this idea, we performed a comprehensive functional and phenotypic analysis of virus-specific T cells in tonsils, a major lymphoid tissue site in the upper respiratory tract, and matched peripheral blood samples obtained from children and adults before the emergence of COVID-19. We found that SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD4+ T cells could be found at similar frequencies in the tonsils and peripheral blood in unexposed individuals, whereas functional SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD8+ T cells were almost only detectable in the tonsils. Tonsillar SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD8+ T cells displayed a follicular homing and tissue-resident memory phenotype, similar to tonsillar Epstein-Barr virus-specific memory CD8+ T cells, but were functionally less potent than other virus-specific memory CD8+ T cell responses. The presence of pre-existing tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells in unexposed individuals could potentially enable rapid sentinel immune responses against SARS-CoV-2.
DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abk0894
JULIA NIESSL, TAKUYA SEKINE, JOSHUA LANGE, VIKTORIA KONYA, MARIANNE FORKEL, JOVANA MARICANNA, RAOLUCA MAZZURANA, EFTHYMIA KOKKINOU, [...] MARCUS BUGGERT
+ 10 authors
Abstract
Cross-reactive CD4+ T cells that recognize SARS-CoV-2 are more commonly detected in the peripheral blood of unexposed individuals compared to SARS-CoV-2-reactive CD8+T cells. However, large numbers of memory CD8+ T cells reside in tissues, feasibly harboring localized SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses. To test this idea, we performed a comprehensive functional and phenotypic analysis of virus-specific T cells in tonsils, a major lymphoid tissue site in the upper respiratory tract, and matched peripheral blood samples obtained from children and adults before the emergence of COVID-19. We found that SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD4+ T cells could be found at similar frequencies in the tonsils and peripheral blood in unexposed individuals, whereas functional SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD8+ T cells were almost only detectable in the tonsils. Tonsillar SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD8+ T cells displayed a follicular homing and tissue-resident memory phenotype, similar to tonsillar Epstein-Barr virus-specific memory CD8+ T cells, but were functionally less potent than other virus-specific memory CD8+ T cell responses. The presence of pre-existing tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells in unexposed individuals could potentially enable rapid sentinel immune responses against SARS-CoV-2.
