Dynamic MAIT Cell Recovery after Severe COVID-19 Is Transient with Signs of Heterogeneous Functional Anomalies.

ABSTRACT: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an abundant population of unconventional T cells in humans and play important roles in immune defense against microbial infections. Severe COVID-19 is associated with strong activation of MAIT cells and loss of these cells from circulation. In the present study, we investigated the capacity of MAIT cells to recover after severe COVID-19. In longitudinal paired analysis, MAIT cells initially rebounded numerically and phenotypically in most patients at 4 mo postrelease from the hospital. However, the rebounding MAIT cells displayed signs of persistent activation with elevated expression of CD69, CD38, and HLA-DR. Although MAIT cell function was restored in many patients, a subgroup displayed a predominantly PD-1high functionally impaired MAIT c

SUBMITTER: Kammann T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10784727 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature