Targets of T Cell Responses to SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus in Humans with COVID-19 Disease and Unexposed Individuals.

ABSTRACT: Understanding adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is important for vaccine development, interpreting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis, and calibration of pandemic control measures. Using HLA class I and II predicted peptide "megapools," circulating SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells were identified in ∼70% and 100% of COVID-19 convalescent patients, respectively. CD4⁺ T cell responses to spike, the main target of most vaccine efforts, were robust and correlated with the magnitude of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA titers. The M, spike, and N proteins each accounted for 11%-27% of the total CD4⁺ response, with additional responses commonly targeting nsp3, nsp4, ORF3a, and ORF8, among others. For CD8⁺ T cells, spike an

SUBMITTER: Grifoni A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7237901 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature