tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Res Sq
. 2020 Aug 13;rs.3.rs-57112.
doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-57112/v1. Preprint
Functional SARS-CoV-2-specific immune memory persists after mild COVID-19
Marion Pepper, Lauren Rodda, Jason Netland, Laila Shehata, Kurt Pruner, Peter Morawski, Chris Thouvenel, Kennidy Takahara, Julie Eggenberger, Emily Hemann, Hayley Waterman, Mitchell Fahning, Yu Chen, Jennifer Rathe, Caleb Stokes, Samuel Wrenn, Brooke Fiala, Lauren Carter, Jessica Hamerman, Neil King, Michael Gale, Daniel Campbell, David Rawlings
Abstract
The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 virus is currently causing a global pandemic and cases continue to rise. The majority of infected individuals experience mildly symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but it is unknown whether this can induce persistent immune memory that might contribute to herd immunity. Thus, we performed a longitudinal assessment of individuals recovered from mildly symptomatic COVID-19 to determine if they develop and sustain immunological memory against the virus. We found that recovered individuals developed SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibody and neutralizing plasma, as well as virus-specific memory B and T cells that not only persisted, but in some cases increased numerically over three months following symptom onset. Furthermore, the SARS-CoV-2-specific memory lymphocytes exhibited characteristics associated with potent antiviral immunity: memory T cells secreted IFN-γ and expanded upon antigen re-encounter, while memory B cells expressed receptors capable of neutralizing virus when expressed as antibodies. These findings demonstrate that mild COVID-19 elicits memory lymphocytes that persist and display functional hallmarks associated with antiviral protective immunity.
. 2020 Aug 13;rs.3.rs-57112.
doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-57112/v1. Preprint
Functional SARS-CoV-2-specific immune memory persists after mild COVID-19
Marion Pepper, Lauren Rodda, Jason Netland, Laila Shehata, Kurt Pruner, Peter Morawski, Chris Thouvenel, Kennidy Takahara, Julie Eggenberger, Emily Hemann, Hayley Waterman, Mitchell Fahning, Yu Chen, Jennifer Rathe, Caleb Stokes, Samuel Wrenn, Brooke Fiala, Lauren Carter, Jessica Hamerman, Neil King, Michael Gale, Daniel Campbell, David Rawlings
- PMID: 32818218
- PMCID: PMC7430600
- DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-57112/v1
Abstract
The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 virus is currently causing a global pandemic and cases continue to rise. The majority of infected individuals experience mildly symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but it is unknown whether this can induce persistent immune memory that might contribute to herd immunity. Thus, we performed a longitudinal assessment of individuals recovered from mildly symptomatic COVID-19 to determine if they develop and sustain immunological memory against the virus. We found that recovered individuals developed SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibody and neutralizing plasma, as well as virus-specific memory B and T cells that not only persisted, but in some cases increased numerically over three months following symptom onset. Furthermore, the SARS-CoV-2-specific memory lymphocytes exhibited characteristics associated with potent antiviral immunity: memory T cells secreted IFN-γ and expanded upon antigen re-encounter, while memory B cells expressed receptors capable of neutralizing virus when expressed as antibodies. These findings demonstrate that mild COVID-19 elicits memory lymphocytes that persist and display functional hallmarks associated with antiviral protective immunity.