Lasting antibody and T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patients three months after infection

Xiao-Lin Jiang, Guo-Lin Wang, Xiang-Na Zhao, Fei-Hu Yan, Lin Yao, Zeng-Qiang Kou, Sheng-Xiang Ji, Xiao-Li Zhang, Cun-Bao Li, Li-Jun Duan, Yan Li, Yu-Wen Zhang, Qing Duan, Tie-Cheng Wang, En-Tao Li, Xiao Wei, Qing-Yang Wang, Xue-Feng Wang, Wei-Yang Sun, Yu-Wei Gao, Dian-Min Kang, Ji-Yan Zhang () and Mai-Juan Ma ()
Additional contact information
Xiao-Lin Jiang: Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Guo-Lin Wang: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Xiang-Na Zhao: Chinese People’s Liberation Army
Fei-Hu Yan: Academy of Military Medical Sciences
Lin Yao: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Zeng-Qiang Kou: Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Sheng-Xiang Ji: Linyi Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Xiao-Li Zhang: Linyi Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Cun-Bao Li: Linyi Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Li-Jun Duan: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Yan Li: Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Yu-Wen Zhang: Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Qing Duan: Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Tie-Cheng Wang: Academy of Military Medical Sciences
En-Tao Li: Academy of Military Medical Sciences
Xiao Wei: Chinese People’s Liberation Army
Qing-Yang Wang: Beijing Institute of Brain Science
Xue-Feng Wang: Academy of Military Medical Sciences
Wei-Yang Sun: Academy of Military Medical Sciences
Yu-Wei Gao: Academy of Military Medical Sciences
Dian-Min Kang: Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Ji-Yan Zhang: Beijing Institute of Brain Science
Mai-Juan Ma: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The dynamics, duration, and nature of immunity produced during SARS-CoV-2 infection are still unclear. Here, we longitudinally measured virus-neutralising antibody, specific antibodies against the spike (S) protein, receptor-binding domain (RBD), and the nucleoprotein (N) of SARS-CoV-2, as well as T cell responses, in 25 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients up to 121 days post-symptom onset (PSO). All patients seroconvert for IgG against N, S, or RBD, as well as IgM against RBD, and produce neutralising antibodies (NAb) by 14 days PSO, with the peak levels attained by 15–30 days PSO. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and NAb remain detectable and relatively stable 3–4 months PSO, whereas IgM antibody rapidly decay. Approximately 65% of patients have detectable SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ or CD8+ T cell responses 3–4 months PSO. Our results thus provide critical evidence that IgG, NAb, and T cell responses persist in the majority of patients for at least 3–4 months after infection.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21155-x

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