Cellular-mediated immunity against SARS-CoV-2

Grant number: 2020-05926

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Key facts

  • Disease

    COVID-19
  • start year

    2020
  • Known Financial Commitments (USD)

    $201,997.9
  • Funder

    Swedish Research Council
  • Principal Investigator

    Marcus Buggert
  • Research Location

    Sweden
  • Lead Research Institution

    Karolinska Institutet
  • Research Priority Alignment

    N/A
  • Research Category

    Pathogen: natural history, transmission and diagnostics

  • Research Subcategory

    Immunity

  • Special Interest Tags

    N/A

  • Study Type

    Unspecified

  • Clinical Trial Details

    N/A

  • Broad Policy Alignment

    Pending

  • Age Group

    Unspecified

  • Vulnerable Population

    Unspecified

  • Occupations of Interest

    Unspecified

Abstract

Generation of adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is most likely key for protection against secondary infection. In the wake of long-lived anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, cellular-mediated, T cell, responses are likely critical to dampen the severity of SARS-CoV-2 re-infection. Our specific aim in this proposal is to understand if people with COVID-19 develop durable cellular-mediated responses against SARS-CoV-2. The collection of unique longitudinal human samples together with the usage of cutting-edge single-cell methods will be the central tenet of this project proposal to answer this overall question. We are working in close collaboration with a team of clinicians and researchers at Karolinska to obtain samples longitudinally from a large cohort of patients, including those that returned from endemic areas (mostly northern Italy) and were tested PCR+ for SARS-CoV-2 despite having no to mild symptoms in early March. Based on preliminary data, we hypothesize that convalescent patients develop a functional B and T cell response against SARS-CoV-2 - i.e. immunity. Our aim is to continue the collection of samples from convalescent patients, blood donors and other patient groups during the entire 2020 and 2021 to understand if cellular-mediated immunity is more "long-lasting" than antibody responses as implicated in SARS-CoV-1 and other infections.Our gained knowledge might have a direct impact on the society and policymakers and be directly translated into new vaccine concepts. Infektionsmedicin