Differential T-Cell Reactivity to Endemic Coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 in Community and Health Care Workers. (2nd April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: da Silva Antunes, Ricardo; Pallikkuth, Suresh; Williams, Erin; Dawen Yu, Esther; Mateus, Jose; Quiambao, Lorenzo; Wang, Eric; Rawlings, Stephen A; Stadlbauer, Daniel; Jiang, Kaijun; Amanat, Fatima; Arnold, David; Andrews, David; Fuego, Irma; Dan, Jennifer M; Grifoni, Alba; Weiskopf, Daniela; Krammer, Florian; Crotty, Shane; Hoffer, Michael E; Pahwa, Savita G; Sette, Alessandro
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 224:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 70
• Page End: 80
• Publication Date: 2021-04-02
• Subjects: coronaviruses -- SARS-CoV-2 -- health care workers -- COVID-19 -- T cells; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab176
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: Herein we measured CD4 + T-cell responses against common cold coronaviruses (CCC) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in high-risk health care workers (HCW) and community controls. We observed higher levels of CCC-reactive T cells in SARS-CoV-2–seronegative HCW compared to community donors, consistent with potential higher occupational exposure of HCW to CCC. We further show that SARS-CoV-2 T-cell reactivity of seronegative HCW was higher than community controls and correlation between CCC and SARS-CoV-2 responses is consistent with cross-reactivity and not associated with recent in vivo activation. Surprisingly, CCC T-cell reactivity was decreased in SARS-CoV-2–infected HCW, suggesting that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 might interfere with CCC responses, either directly or indirectly. This result was unexpected, but consistently detected in independent cohorts derived from Miami and San Diego. CD4+ T-cell responses against common cold coronaviruses (CCC) are elevated in SARS-CoV-2 seronegative high-risk health care workers (HCW) compared to COVID-19 convalescent HCW, suggesting that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 might interfere with CCC responses and/or cross-reactivity associated with a protective effect. Abstract : CD4 + T-cell responses against common cold coronaviruses (CCC) are elevated in SARS-CoV-2 seronegative high-risk health care workers (HCW) compared to COVID-19 convalescent HCW, suggesting that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 might interfere with CCC responses and/or cross-reactivity a protective effect.