T cell response against SARS-CoV-2 persists after one year in patients surviving severe COVID-19
Fabienne Venet, Morgane Gossez, Frank Bidar, Maxime Bodinier, Rémy Coudereau, Anne‐Claire Lukaszewicz, Claire Tardiveau, Karen Brengel‐Pesce, Valérie Cheynet, Marie-Angélique Cazalis, Rémi Pescarmona, Lorna Garnier, Marine Ortillon, Marielle Buisson, Maude Bouscambert‐Duchamp, Florence Morfin, Jean‐Sébastien Casalegno, Filippo Conti, Thomas Rimmelé, Laurent Argaud, Martin Cour, Mitra Saadatian‐Elahi, Laetitia Hénaff, Philippe Vanhems, Guillaume Monneret
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In critically ill COVID-19 patients, the initial response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is characterized by major immune dysfunctions. The capacity of these severe patients to mount a robust and persistent SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell response despite the presence of severe immune alterations during the ICU stay is unknown. METHODS: Critically ill COVID-19 patients were sampled five times during the ICU stay and 9 and 13 months afterwards. Immune monitoring included counts of lymphocyte subpopulations, HLA-DR expression on monocytes, plasma IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels and T cell proliferation in response to three SARS-CoV-2 antigens. FINDINGS: Despite the presence of major lymphopenia and decreased monocyte HLA-DR expression during the ICU stay, convalescent critically ill COVID-19 patients consistently generated adaptive and humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 maintained for more than one year after hospital discharge. Patients with long hospital stays presented with stronger anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell response but no difference in anti-SARS-CoV2 IgG levels. INTERPRETATION: Convalescent critically ill COVID-19 patients consistently generated a memory immune response against SARS-CoV-2 maintained for more than one year after hospital discharge. In recovered individuals, the intensity of SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell response was dependent on length of hospital stay. FUNDING: This observational study was supported by funds from the Hospices Civils de Lyon, Fondation HCL, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University and Région Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and by partial funding by REACTing (Research and ACTion targeting emerging infectious diseases) INSERM, France and a donation from Fondation AnBer (http://fondationanber.fr/).