CD8⁺ T cells specific for an immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid epitope display high naive precursor frequency and TCR promiscuity.

ABSTRACT: To better understand primary and recall T cell responses during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to examine unmanipulated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific T cells. By using peptide-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tetramers for direct ex vivo analysis, we characterized CD8⁺ T cells specific for SARS-CoV-2 epitopes in COVID-19 patients and unexposed individuals. Unlike CD8⁺ T cells directed toward subdominant epitopes (B7/N₂₅₇, A2/S₂₆₉, and A24/S_1,208) CD8⁺ T cells specific for the immunodominant B7/N₁₀₅ epitope were detected at high frequencies in pre-pandemic samples and at increased frequencies during acute COVID-19 and convalescence. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8<

SUBMITTER: Nguyen THO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8049468 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature