학술논문
Persistence of SARS-CoV-2-specific B and T cell responses in convalescent COVID-19 patients 6-8 months after the infection
Document Type
Author
Sherina, Natalia; Piralla, Antonio; Du, Likun; Wan, Hui; Kumagai-Braesch, Makiko; Andréll, Juni; Braesch-Andersen, Sten; Cassaniti, Irene; Percivalle, Elena; Sarasini, Antonella; Bergami, Federica; Di Martino, Raffaella; Colaneri, Marta; Vecchia, Marco; Sambo, Margherita; Zuccaro, Valentina; Bruno, Raffaele; Sachs, Michele; Oggionni, Tiberio; Meloni, Federica; Abolhassani, Hassan; Bertoglio, Federico; Schubert, Maren; Byrne-Steele, Miranda; Han, Jian; Hust, Michael; Xue, Yintong; Hammarström, Lennart; Baldanti, Fausto; Marcotte, Harold; Pan-Hammarström, Qiang
Source
Med. 2(3):281-295
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
2666-6340
Abstract
Background: Monitoring the adaptive immune responses during the natural course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection provides useful information for the development of vaccination strategies against this virus and its emerging variants. We thus profiled the serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody (Ab) levels and specific memory B and T cell responses in convalescent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.Methods: A total of 119 samples from 88 convalescent donors who experienced mild to critical disease were tested for the presence of elevated anti-spike and anti-receptor binding domain Ab levels over a period of 8 months. In addition, the levels of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing Abs and specific memory B and T cell responses were tested in a subset of samples.Findings: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Abs were present in 85% of the samples collected within 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Levels of specific immunoglobulin M (IgM)/IgA Abs declined after 1 month, while levels of specific IgG Abs and plasma neutralizing activities remained relatively stable up to 6 months after diagnosis. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Abs were still present, although at a significantly lower level, in 80% of the samples collected at 6-8 months after symptom onset. SARS-CoV-2-specific memory B and T cell responses developed with time and were persistent in all of the patients followed up for 6-8 months.Conclusions: Our data suggest that protective adaptive immunity following natural infection of SARS-CoV-2 may persist for at least 6-8 months, regardless of disease severity. Development of medium- or long-term protective immunity through vaccination may thus be possible.