Pediatric COVID-19 patients in South Brazil show abundant viral mRNA and strong specific anti-viral responses

Tiago Fazolo, Karina Lima, Julia C. Fontoura, Priscila Oliveira Souza, Gabriel Hilario, Renata Zorzetto, Luiz Rodrigues Júnior, Veridiane Maria Pscheidt, Jayme Castilhos Ferreira Neto, Alisson F. Haubert, Izza Gambin, Aline C. Oliveira, Raissa S. Mello, Matheus Bastos Balbe e Gutierres, Rodrigo Benedetti Gassen, Lais Durço Coimbra, Alexandre Borin, Rafael Elias Marques, Ivaine Tais Sauthier Sartor, Gabriela Oliveira Zavaglia, Ingrid Rodrigues Fernandes, Helder I. Nakaya, Fernanda Hammes Varela, Márcia Polese-Bonatto, Thiago J. Borges, Sidia Maria Callegari-Jacques, Marcela Santos Correa Costa, Jaqueline Araujo Schwartz, Marcelo Comerlato Scotta, Renato T. Stein and Cristina Bonorino ()
Additional contact information
Tiago Fazolo: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Karina Lima: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Julia C. Fontoura: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Priscila Oliveira Souza: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Gabriel Hilario: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Renata Zorzetto: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Luiz Rodrigues Júnior: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Veridiane Maria Pscheidt: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Jayme Castilhos Ferreira Neto: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Alisson F. Haubert: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Izza Gambin: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Aline C. Oliveira: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Raissa S. Mello: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Matheus Bastos Balbe e Gutierres: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA
Rodrigo Benedetti Gassen: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Lais Durço Coimbra: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)
Alexandre Borin: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)
Rafael Elias Marques: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)
Ivaine Tais Sauthier Sartor: Hospital Moinhos de Vento
Gabriela Oliveira Zavaglia: Hospital Moinhos de Vento
Ingrid Rodrigues Fernandes: Hospital Moinhos de Vento
Helder I. Nakaya: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein
Fernanda Hammes Varela: Hospital Moinhos de Vento
Márcia Polese-Bonatto: Hospital Moinhos de Vento
Thiago J. Borges: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Sidia Maria Callegari-Jacques: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Marcela Santos Correa Costa: Secretaria de vigilância em saúde - Ministério da Saúde (CGPNI/DEIDT/SVS/MS)
Jaqueline Araujo Schwartz: Secretaria de vigilância em saúde - Ministério da Saúde (CGPNI/DEIDT/SVS/MS)
Marcelo Comerlato Scotta: Hospital Moinhos de Vento
Renato T. Stein: Hospital Moinhos de Vento
Cristina Bonorino: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract COVID-19 manifests as a milder disease in children than adults, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully characterized. Here we assess the difference in cellular or humoral immune responses of pediatric and adult COVID-19 patients to see if these factors contribute to the severity dichotomy. Children’s non-specific immune profile is dominated by naive lymphocytes and HLA-DRhighCX3CR1low dendritic cells; meanwhile, children show strong specific antibody and T cell responses for viral structural proteins, with their T cell responses differing from adults by having weaker CD8+TNF+ T cells responses to S peptide pool but stronger responses to N and M peptide pools. Finally, viral mRNA is more abundant in pediatric patients. Our data thus support a scenario in which SARS-CoV-2 infected children contribute to transmission yet are less susceptible to COVID-19 symptoms due to strong and differential responses to the virus.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27120-y

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