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Highly functional virus-specific cellular immune response in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

ABSTRACT: The efficacy of virus-specific T cells in clearing pathogens involves a fine balance between antiviral and inflammatory features. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in individuals who clear SARS-CoV-2 without symptoms could reveal nonpathological yet protective characteristics. We longitudinally studied SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in a cohort of asymptomatic (n = 85) and symptomatic (n = 75) COVID-19 patients after seroconversion. We quantified T cells reactive to structural proteins (M, NP, and Spike) using ELISpot and cytokine secretion in whole blood. Frequencies of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were similar between asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals, but the former showed an increased IFN-γ and IL-2 production. This was associated with a proportional secretion of IL-10 and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β) only in asymptomatic infection, while a disproportionate secretion of inflammatory cytokines was triggered by SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell activation in symptomatic individuals. Thus, asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals are not characterized by weak antiviral immunity; on the contrary, they mount a highly functional virus-specific cellular immune response.

SUBMITTER: Le Bert N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7927662 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Highly functional virus-specific cellular immune response in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Le Bert Nina N Clapham Hannah E HE Tan Anthony T AT Chia Wan Ni WN Tham Christine Y L CYL Lim Jane M JM Kunasegaran Kamini K Tan Linda Wei Lin LWL Dutertre Charles-Antoine CA Shankar Nivedita N Lim Joey M E JME Sun Louisa Jin LJ Zahari Marina M Tun Zaw Myo ZM Kumar Vishakha V Lim Beng Lee BL Lim Siew Hoon SH Chia Adeline A Tan Yee-Joo YJ Tambyah Paul Anantharajah PA Kalimuddin Shirin S Lye David D Low Jenny G H JGH Wang Lin-Fa LF Wan Wei Yee WY Hsu Li Yang LY Bertoletti Antonio A Tam Clarence C CC

The Journal of experimental medicine 20210501 5

The efficacy of virus-specific T cells in clearing pathogens involves a fine balance between antiviral and inflammatory features. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in individuals who clear SARS-CoV-2 without symptoms could reveal nonpathological yet protective characteristics. We longitudinally studied SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in a cohort of asymptomatic (n = 85) and symptomatic (n = 75) COVID-19 patients after seroconversion. We quantified T cells reactive to structural proteins (M, NP, and Spike) ...[more]

PMID: 33646265

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Project description:ImportanceReal-world evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is needed to understand the prevalence of infection in the Japanese population.ObjectiveTo conduct sentinel screening of the Japanese population to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic individuals, with complementary analysis for symptomatic patients as reported by active epidemiologic surveillance used by the government.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study of a sentinel screening program investigated approximately 1 million asymptomatic individuals with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection between February 22 and December 8, 2021. Participants included children, students, employed adults, and older individuals, as well as volunteers to broadly reflect the general Japanese population in the 14 prefectures of Japan that declared a state of emergency. Saliva samples and a cycle threshold (Ct) value of approximately 40 as standard in Japan were used. Polymerase chain reaction testing for symptomatic patients was separately done by public health authorities, and the results were obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan to complement data on asymptomatic infections from the present study.Main outcomes and measuresTemporal trends in positivity and prevalence (including surges of different variants) and demographic associations (eg, age, geographic location, and vaccination status) were assessed.ResultsThe positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 1 082 976 asymptomatic individuals (52.08% males; mean [SD] age 39.4 [15.7] years) was 0.03% (95% CI, 0.02%-0.05%) during periods without surges and a maximum of 0.33% (95% CI, 0.25%-0.43%) during peak surges at the Japanese standard Ct value of approximately 40; however, the positive rate would have been 10-fold less at a Ct value of 25 as used elsewhere in the world (eg, UK). There was an increase in patients with a positive PCR test result with a Ct value of 25 or 30 preceding surges in infection and hotspots of asymptomatic infections.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cross-sectional study of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population of Japan in 2021, as investigated by sentinel surveillance, a low rate of infection was seen in the Japanese population compared with reported levels elsewhere in the world. This finding provides real-world data on the state of infection in Japan.

Dataset Information

Highly functional virus-specific cellular immune response in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Publications

Highly functional virus-specific cellular immune response in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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