SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific nasal-resident CD49a+CD8+ memory T cells exert immediate effector functions with enhanced IFN-γ production

Bibliographic Details
Title: SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific nasal-resident CD49a+CD8+ memory T cells exert immediate effector functions with enhanced IFN-γ production
Authors: Min-Seok Rha, Gyeongyeob Kim, Sol Lee, Jihye Kim, Yeonsu Jeong, Chan Min Jung, Hae Eun Noh, Ji Yun Noh, Yong Min Kim, Hyung-Ju Cho, Chang-Hoon Kim, Eui-Cheol Shin
Source: Nature Communications, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2024)
Publisher Information: Nature Portfolio, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Science
Subject Terms: Science
More Details: Abstract Virus-specific nasal resident T cells are important for protection against subsequent infection with a similar virus. Here we examine the phenotypes and functions of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in the nasal mucosa of vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infection (BTI) or without infection. Nasal tissues are obtained from participants during sinus surgery. Analysis of activation-induced markers implicates that a considerable proportion of spike (S)-reactive nasal CD8+ T cells express CD103, a tissue-resident marker. MHC-I multimer staining is performed to analyze the ex vivo phenotype and function of SARS-CoV-2 S-specific CD8+ T cells. We detect multimer+CD8+ T cells with tissue-resident phenotypes in nasal tissue samples from vaccinees without infection as well as vaccinees with BTI. Multimer+CD8+ T cells remain present in nasal tissues over one year after the last exposure to S antigen, although the frequency decreases. Upon direct ex vivo stimulation with epitope peptides, nasal multimer+CD8+ T cells–particularly the CD49a+ subset–exhibit immediate effector functions, including IFN-γ production. CITE-seq analysis of S-reactive AIM+CD8+ T cells confirms the enhanced effector function of the CD49a+ subset. These findings indicate that among individuals previously exposed to S antigen by vaccination or BTI, S-specific nasal-resident CD49a+CD8+ memory T cells can rapidly respond to SARS-CoV-2 during infection or reinfection.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2041-1723
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52689-5
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/408f1076a04746e2bef49331da961307
Accession Number: edsdoj.408f1076a04746e2bef49331da961307
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20411723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-52689-5
Published in:Nature Communications
Language:English