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COVID-19 recurrence is related to disease-early profile T cells while detection of anti-S1 IgG is related to multifunctional T cells

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Abstract

COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection and leads from asymptomatic to severe outcomes. The recurrence of the COVID-19 has been described, however, mechanisms involved remains unclear. Thus, the work aimed to investigate the role of multifunctional T cells in patients with recurrent COVID-19. We evaluated clinical characteristics, presence of anti-S1 and anti-Nucleocapsid IgG in patients’ sera, and multifunctional T cells (for IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) in patients with multiple episodes of COVID-19 and controls. Data demonstrate that patients with recurrent COVID-19 have a T cell pattern predominantly related to IFN-γ production. Also, patients with COVID-19 history and absence of anti-S1 IgG had lower levels of CD4+ IFN + IL-2 + TNF + T cells independently of number of disease episodes. Complementary, vaccination changed the patterns of T cells phenotypes and induced IgG seroconversion, despite not induce higher levels of multifunctional T cells in all patients. In conclusion, the data suggest that recurrent disease is related to early-disease T cell profile and absence of anti-S1 IgG is related to lower multifunctional CD4 T cell response, what suggests possibility of new episodes of COVID-19 in these patients.

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Additional data could be obtained with corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Ricardo Tostes Gazzinelli and Dr. Flávia Fonseca Bagno from CTVacinas (UFMG, Brazil) for the antigen used in this work. We are grateful to all the patients and volunteers who dedicated their time to participate in this study. Also, we would like to express our thanks to the University Hospital from UFS.

Funding

This research was funded by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo [grant number 2013/08216-2]. CNOS received doctoral scholarship from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior. LSM have postdoctoral fellowship from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) [process 151365/2022-9]. ARJ, RPA, and JSS are scientists supported by CNPq.

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Author notes

  1. Lucas S. Magalhães and Roque P. de Almeida have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Imunologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil

    Camilla Natália O. Santos, Gustavo C. Caldas, Fabricia A. de Oliveira, Angela Maria da Silva, Ricardo Luís L. da Silva, Amélia R. de Jesus, Lucas S. Magalhães & Roque P. de Almeida

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil

    Camilla Natália O. Santos, Angela Maria da Silva, Amélia R. de Jesus, Lucas S. Magalhães & Roque P. de Almeida

  3. Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitário, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil

    Gustavo C. Caldas, Angela Maria da Silva, Amélia R. de Jesus & Roque P. de Almeida

  4. Plataforma de Medicina Translacional da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz e Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil

    João S. da Silva

  5. Departamento de Educação em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Lagarto, Brazil

    Ricardo Luís L. da Silva

  6. Instituto de Investigação em Imunologia (iii), Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia, São Paulo, Brazil

    Amélia R. de Jesus & Roque P. de Almeida

  7. Setor de Parasitologia e Patologia, Instituto de Ciência Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil

    Lucas S. Magalhães

Authors
  1. Camilla Natália O. Santos
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  2. Gustavo C. Caldas
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  3. Fabricia A. de Oliveira
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  4. Angela Maria da Silva
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  5. João S. da Silva
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  6. Ricardo Luís L. da Silva
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  7. Amélia R. de Jesus
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  8. Lucas S. Magalhães
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  9. Roque P. de Almeida
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Contributions

Conceptualization, ARJ, RPA, LSM, CNOS; methodology, CNOS, LSM; formal analysis, LSM; investigation, CNOS, LSM, FAO, RLLS, GCC; resources, JSS, RPA, ARJ; writing—original draft preparation, CNOS, LSM, ARJ; writing—review and editing, CNOS, LSM, ARJ, JSS; visualization, LSM, CNOS; supervision, ARJ, RPA; funding acquisition, ARJ, RPA, JSS. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucas S. Magalhães.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee from Federal University of Sergipe (reference number 4.018.577). Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

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Edited by Matthias J. Reddehase.

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Santos, C.N.O., Caldas, G.C., de Oliveira, F.A. et al. COVID-19 recurrence is related to disease-early profile T cells while detection of anti-S1 IgG is related to multifunctional T cells. Med Microbiol Immunol 212, 339–347 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00430-023-00776-7

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