Back to Search
Start Over
Nucleocapsid-specific T cell responses associate with control of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper airways before seroconversion
- Source :
- Nature Communications, Vol 14, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2023)
- Publication Year :
- 2023
- Publisher :
- Nature Portfolio, 2023.
-
Abstract
- Abstract Despite intensive research since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, it has remained unclear precisely which components of the early immune response protect against the development of severe COVID-19. Here, we perform a comprehensive immunogenetic and virologic analysis of nasopharyngeal and peripheral blood samples obtained during the acute phase of infection with SARS-CoV-2. We find that soluble and transcriptional markers of systemic inflammation peak during the first week after symptom onset and correlate directly with upper airways viral loads (UA-VLs), whereas the contemporaneous frequencies of circulating viral nucleocapsid (NC)-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells correlate inversely with various inflammatory markers and UA-VLs. In addition, we show that high frequencies of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are present in acutely infected nasopharyngeal tissue, many of which express genes encoding various effector molecules, such as cytotoxic proteins and IFN-γ. The presence of IFNG mRNA-expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the infected epithelium is further linked with common patterns of gene expression among virus-susceptible target cells and better local control of SARS-CoV-2. Collectively, these results identify an immune correlate of protection against SARS-CoV-2, which could inform the development of more effective vaccines to combat the acute and chronic illnesses attributable to COVID-19.
- Subjects :
- Science
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20411723
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Nature Communications
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.4dc5d871135c41fe9339d69cb0120fce
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38020-8