학술논문
Immunological imprint of COVID‐19 on human peripheral blood leukocyte populations.
Document Type
Article
Author
Kratzer, Bernhard; Trapin, Doris; Ettel, Paul; Körmöczi, Ulrike; Rottal, Arno; Tuppy, Friedrich; Feichter, Melanie; Gattinger, Pia; Borochova, Kristina; Dorofeeva, Yulia; Tulaeva, Inna; Weber, Milena; Grabmeier‐Pfistershammer, Katharina; Tauber, Peter A.; Gerdov, Marika; Mühl, Bernhard; Perkmann, Thomas; Fae, Ingrid; Wenda, Sabine; Führer, Harald
Source
Subject
*COVID-19
*CYTOTOXIC T cells
*LEUCOCYTES
*SUPPRESSOR cells
*T cells
*SMELL
*PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY
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Language
ISSN
0105-4538
Abstract
Background: SARS‐CoV‐2 has triggered a pandemic that is now claiming many lives. Several studies have investigated cellular immune responses in COVID‐19‐infected patients during disease but little is known regarding a possible protracted impact of COVID‐19 on the adaptive and innate immune system in COVID‐19 convalescent patients. Methods: We used multiparametric flow cytometry to analyze whole peripheral blood samples and determined SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific antibody levels against the S‐protein, its RBD‐subunit, and viral nucleocapsid in a cohort of COVID‐19 convalescent patients who had mild disease ~10 weeks after infection (n = 109) and healthy control subjects (n = 98). Furthermore, we correlated immunological changes with clinical and demographic parameters. Results: Even ten weeks after disease COVID‐19 convalescent patients had fewer neutrophils, while their cytotoxic CD8+ T cells were activated, reflected as higher HLA‐DR and CD38 expression. Multiparametric regression analyses showed that in COVID‐19‐infected patients both CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ effector memory cells were higher, while CD25+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells were lower. In addition, both transitional B cell and plasmablast levels were significantly elevated in COVID‐19‐infected patients. Fever (duration, level) correlated with numbers of central memory CD4+ T cells and anti‐S and anti‐RBD, but not anti‐NC antibody levels. Moreover, a "young immunological age" as determined by numbers of CD3+CD45RA+CD62L+CD31+ recent thymic emigrants was associated with a loss of sense of taste and/or smell. Conclusion: Acute SARS‐CoV‐2 infection leaves protracted beneficial (ie, activation of T cells) and potentially harmful (ie, reduction of neutrophils) imprints in the cellular immune system in addition to induction of specific antibody responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]