Initial COVID-19 severity influenced by SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells imprints T-cell memory and inversely affects reinfection.

ABSTRACT: The immunoprotective components control COVID-19 disease severity, as well as long-term adaptive immunity maintenance and subsequent reinfection risk discrepancies across initial COVID-19 severity, remain unclarified. Here, we longitudinally analyzed SARS-CoV-2-specific immune effectors during the acute infection and convalescent phases of 165 patients with COVID-19 categorized by severity. We found that early and robust SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell responses ameliorate disease progression and shortened hospital stay, while delayed and attenuated virus-specific CD8⁺ T cell responses are prominent severe COVID-19 features. Delayed antiviral antibody generation rather than titer level associates with severe outcomes. Conversely, initial COVID-19 s

SUBMITTER: Yang G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11136975 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature