tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Nephrol
. 2021 Jul 6.
doi: 10.1007/s40620-021-01092-0. Online ahead of print.
Detection of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in unexposed renal transplant patients
Moritz Anft[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Arturo Blazquez-Navarro[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ulrik Stervbo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sarah Skrzypczyk[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Oliver Witzke[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Rainer Wirth[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mira Choi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Christian Hugo[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Petra Reinke[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Toni Luise Meister[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Eike Steinmann[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Stephanie Pfaender[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Peter Schenker[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Richard Viebahn[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Timm H Westhoff[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nina Babel[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Recent data demonstrate potentially protective pre-existing T cells reactive against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in samples of healthy blood donors, collected before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Whether pre-existing immunity is also detectable in immunosuppressed patients is currently not known.
Methods: Fifty-seven patients were included in this case-control study. We compared the frequency of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in the samples of 20 renal transplant (RTx) patients to 20 age/gender matched non-immunosuppressed/immune competent healthy individuals collected before the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Seventeen coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients were used as positive controls. T cell reactivity against Spike-, Nucleocapsid-, and Membrane- SARS-CoV-2 proteins were analyzed by multi-parameter flow cytometry. Antibodies were analyzed by neutralization assay.
Results: Pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells were detected in the majority of unexposed patients and healthy individuals. In RTx patients, 13/20 showed CD4[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells reactive against at least one SARS-CoV-2 protein. CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells reactive against at least one SARS-CoV-2 protein were demonstrated in 12/20 of RTx patients. The frequency and Th1 cytokine expression pattern of pre-formed SARS-CoV-2 reactive T cells did not differ between RTx and non-immunosuppressed healthy individuals.
Conclusions: This study shows that the magnitude and functionality of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 reactive T cell in transplant patients is non-inferior compared to the immune competent cohort. Although several pro-inflammatory cytokines were produced by the detected T cells, further studies are required to prove their antiviral protection.
Keywords: Antigen-spcific T cells; Immunosuppression; Renal transplantation; Sars-CoV-2.
. 2021 Jul 6.
doi: 10.1007/s40620-021-01092-0. Online ahead of print.
Detection of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in unexposed renal transplant patients
Moritz Anft[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Arturo Blazquez-Navarro[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ulrik Stervbo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sarah Skrzypczyk[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Oliver Witzke[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Rainer Wirth[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mira Choi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Christian Hugo[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Petra Reinke[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Toni Luise Meister[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Eike Steinmann[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Stephanie Pfaender[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Peter Schenker[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Richard Viebahn[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Timm H Westhoff[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nina Babel[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34228322
- DOI: 10.1007/s40620-021-01092-0
Abstract
Background: Recent data demonstrate potentially protective pre-existing T cells reactive against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in samples of healthy blood donors, collected before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Whether pre-existing immunity is also detectable in immunosuppressed patients is currently not known.
Methods: Fifty-seven patients were included in this case-control study. We compared the frequency of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in the samples of 20 renal transplant (RTx) patients to 20 age/gender matched non-immunosuppressed/immune competent healthy individuals collected before the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Seventeen coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients were used as positive controls. T cell reactivity against Spike-, Nucleocapsid-, and Membrane- SARS-CoV-2 proteins were analyzed by multi-parameter flow cytometry. Antibodies were analyzed by neutralization assay.
Results: Pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells were detected in the majority of unexposed patients and healthy individuals. In RTx patients, 13/20 showed CD4[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells reactive against at least one SARS-CoV-2 protein. CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells reactive against at least one SARS-CoV-2 protein were demonstrated in 12/20 of RTx patients. The frequency and Th1 cytokine expression pattern of pre-formed SARS-CoV-2 reactive T cells did not differ between RTx and non-immunosuppressed healthy individuals.
Conclusions: This study shows that the magnitude and functionality of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 reactive T cell in transplant patients is non-inferior compared to the immune competent cohort. Although several pro-inflammatory cytokines were produced by the detected T cells, further studies are required to prove their antiviral protection.
Keywords: Antigen-spcific T cells; Immunosuppression; Renal transplantation; Sars-CoV-2.