Recruitment of highly cytotoxic CD8+ T cell receptors in mild SARS-CoV-2 infection
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ABSTRACT: T cell immunity is crucial for the control of SARS-CoV-2 infections and has been widely studied on a quantitative level. However, quality of responses, in particular of CD8+ T cells, has only been marginally investigated so far. Here, we isolated T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires specific for immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 epitopes restricted to common Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) class I molecules in convalescent individuals. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells were detected up to twelve months from infection. TCR repertoires were diverse, with heterogeneous functional avidity and cytotoxicity towards virus-infected cells, as demonstrated for TCR-engineered T cells. High TCR functionality correlated with gene signatures that, remarkably, could be retrieved for each epitope:HLA combination analyzed. Overall, our data demonstrate that polyclonal and highly functional CD8+ TCRs – classical features of protective immunity - are recruited upon mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing tools to assess the quality and to potentially restore functional CD8+ T cell immunity.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE190839 | GEO | 2022/01/07
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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