Journal Article

Prolonged activation of nasal immune cell populations and development of tissue-resident SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cell responses following COVID-19

Lijfering Willem, Uzorka Jonathan, Toppenberg Alexandra G L, van Westerloo D J, Smits, H H, Verhoeven, A, de Jonge Ingeborg, Jochems, S P, de Boer Mark G J, van der Wijk H J, Wigbers, J, Cannegieter, S, Smits, Hermelijn H, van der Bom Anske G, de Vries J J C, Pothast, Cilia R, Meier Romy, de, Mooij B, Hankemeier, T, del Prado M R, Tsonaka, R, Janse, J J, Manniën, J, Arbous, Sesmu M, Canté, K, de Bruin-Versteeg S, Roestenberg, M, Dalebout, Tim, Janse, Jacqueline J, Hiemstra, P S, Yazdanbakhsh, Maria, Verheij Maaike, Ottenhoff T H M, de Vries Jutte J C, Lamont, L, Oud Josine A, Zlei Mihaela, Baysan Meryem, Yazdanbakhsh, M, Wigbers Jeanette, Wubbolts, Julia M, Hokke, C H, van der Does A M, Cobbaert, C M, Heemskerk M H M, van der Holst R, Eikenboom, J, Queralt, Rosinach N, Hagedoorn, Renate S, van Dongen J J M, Zhang Jaimie L H, Trouw, L A, Roukens A H E, Giera, M, Pongracz, T, Visser, L G, Heerdink Laura, Roukens Anna H E, Jochems Simon P, van Wissen R C, Eikenboom, Anna M, van der Does Anne M, Kikkert, M, Heemskerk Mirjam H M, Staal Frank J T, Prins Corine, Staal F J T, Geluk, A, Pike-Overzet, K, Roos, M, Rosendaal Frits, Meta

2022

Overview

Systemic immune cell dynamics during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are extensively documented, but these are less well studied in the (upper) respiratory tract, where severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replicates1–6. Here, we characterized nasal and systemic immune cells in individuals with COVID-19 who were hospitalized or convalescent and compared the immune cells to those seen in healthy donors. We observed increased nasal granulocytes, monocytes, CD11c+ natural killer (NK) cells and CD4+ T effector cells during acute COVID-19. The mucosal proinflammatory populations positively associated with peripheral blood human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRlow monocytes, CD38+PD1+CD4+ T effector (Teff) cells and plasmablasts. However, there was no general lymphopenia in nasal mucosa, unlike in peripheral blood. Moreover, nasal neutrophils negatively associated with oxygen saturation levels in blood. Following convalescence, nasal immune cells mostly normalized, except for CD127+ granulocytes and CD38+CD8+ tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM). SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells persisted at least 2 months after viral clearance in the nasal mucosa, indicating that COVID-19 has both transient and long-term effects on upper respiratory tract immune responses.The immunological processes occurring in the upper respiratory tract during COVID-19 are relatively poorly understood. Jochems and colleagues observe durable changes in the upper respiratory tract following SARS-CoV-2 infection, including evidence of virus-specific tissue memory T cells.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: CD11c antigen / CD38 antigen / CD4 antigen / CD8 antigen / Cell activation / Convalescence / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / Effector cells / Granulocytes / Histocompatibility antigen HLA / Immune clearance / Immune response / Immunological memory / Inflammation / Leukocytes (granulocytic) / Leukocytes (neutrophilic) / Long-term effects / Lymphocytes / Lymphocytes T / Lymphopenia / Memory cells / Monocytes / Mucosa / Natural killer cells / PD-1 protein / Peripheral blood / Respiratory tract / Respiratory tract diseases / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2