Reappearance of Effector T Cells Predicts Successful Recovery from COVID-19

BackgroundElucidating the role of T cell responses in COVID-19 is of utmost importance to understand the clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods30 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 60 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) participated in this study. We used two comprehensive 11-color flow cytometric panels conforming to Good Laboratory Practice and approved for clinical diagnostics. FindingsAbsolute numbers of lymphocyte subsets were differentially decreased in COVID-19 patients according to clinical severity. In severe disease (SD) patients, all lymphocyte subsets were reduced, whilst in mild disease (MD) NK, NKT and {gamma}{delta} T cells were at the level of HC. Additionally, we provide evidence of T cell activation in MD but not SD, when compared to HC. Follow up samples revealed a marked increase in effector T cells and memory subsets in convalescing but not in non-convalescing patients. InterpretationOur data suggest that activation and expansion of innate and adaptive lymphocytes play a major role in COVID-19. Additionally, recovery is associated with formation of T cell memory as suggested by the missing formation of effector and central memory T cells in SD but not in MD. Understanding T cell-responses in the context of clinical severity might serve as foundation to overcome the lack of effective anti-viral immune response in severely affected COVID-19 patients and can offer prognostic value as biomarker for disease outcome and control. FundingFunded by German Research Foundation, Excellence Strategy - EXC 2155 "RESIST"-Project ID39087428, and DFG-SFB900/3-Project ID158989968, grants SFB900-B3 to R.F., SFB900-B8 to I P. and C.K.