Discordant neutralizing antibody and T cell responses in asymptomatic and mild SARS-CoV-2 infection

Understanding the nature of immunity following mild/asymptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2 is crucial to controlling the pandemic. We analyzed T cell and neutralizing antibody responses in 136 healthcare workers (HCW) 16-18 weeks after United Kingdom lockdown, 76 of whom had mild/asymptomatic SARS-C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science Immunology 2020-12, Vol.5 (54)
Main Authors: Reynolds, Catherine J, Swadling, Leo, Gibbons, Joseph M, Pade, Corinna, Jensen, Melanie P, Diniz, Mariana O, Schmidt, Nathalie M, Butler, David K, Amin, Oliver E, Bailey, Sasha N L, Murray, Sam M, Pieper, Franziska P, Taylor, Stephen, Jones, Jessica, Jones, Meleri, Lee, Wing-Yiu Jason, Rosenheim, Joshua, Chandran, Aneesh, Joy, George, Di Genova, Cecilia, Temperton, Nigel, Lambourne, Jonathan, Cutino-Moguel, Teresa, Andiapen, Mervyn, Fontana, Marianna, Smit, Angelique, Semper, Amanda, O'Brien, Ben, Chain, Benjamin, Brooks, Tim, Manisty, Charlotte, Treibel, Thomas, Moon, James C, Noursadeghi, Mahdad, Altmann, Daniel M, Maini, Mala K, McKnight, Áine, Boyton, Rosemary J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood
Antibodies, Neutralizing - immunology
Antibodies, Viral - blood
Antibodies, Viral - immunology
Asymptomatic Infections
Case-Control Studies
Coronavirus
COVID-19 - immunology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
SARS-CoV-2 - immunology
T-Lymphocytes - immunology
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Summary:Understanding the nature of immunity following mild/asymptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2 is crucial to controlling the pandemic. We analyzed T cell and neutralizing antibody responses in 136 healthcare workers (HCW) 16-18 weeks after United Kingdom lockdown, 76 of whom had mild/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection captured by serial sampling. Neutralizing antibodies (nAb) were present in 89% of previously infected HCW. T cell responses tended to be lower following asymptomatic infection than in those reporting case-definition symptoms of COVID-19, while nAb titers were maintained irrespective of symptoms. T cell and antibody responses were sometimes discordant. Eleven percent lacked nAb and had undetectable T cell responses to spike protein but had T cells reactive with other SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Our findings suggest that the majority of individuals with mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection carry nAb complemented by multispecific T cell responses at 16-18 weeks after mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.
ISSN:2470-9468
2470-9468
DOI:10.1126/SCIIMMUNOL.ABF3698