Magnitude of venous or capillary blood-derived SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response determines COVID-19 immunity

10.1038/s41467-022-32985-8

Nature Communications

Contributing to research themes:

T cells specific for SARS-CoV-2 are thought to protect against infection and development of COVID-19, but direct evidence for this is lacking. Here, we associated whole-blood-based measurement of SARS-CoV-2-specific interferon-γ-positive T cell responses with positive COVID-19 diagnostic (PCR and/or lateral flow) test results up to 6 months post-blood sampling. Amongst 148 participants donating venous blood samples, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response magnitude is significantly greater in those who remain protected versus those who become infected (P < 0.0001); relatively low magnitude T cell response results in a 43.2% risk of infection, whereas high magnitude reduces this risk to 5.4%. These findings are recapitulated in a further 299 participants testing a scalable capillary blood-based assay that could facilitate the acquisition of population-scale T cell immunity data (14.9% and 4.4%, respectively). Hence, measurement of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells can prognosticate infection risk and should be assessed when monitoring individual and population immunity status.

Author list:

Affiliations:

  1. Division of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. 
  2. Systems Immunity Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. 
  3. ImmunoServ Ltd., Cardiff, UK. 
  4. Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Cardiff & Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.

Authors:

Martin J. Scurr1,2,3, George Lippiatt3, Lorenzo Capitani1,2, Kirsten Bentley1,2, Sarah N. Lauder1,2, Kathryn Smart1,2, Michelle S. Somerville1,2, Tara Rees1,3,4, Richard J. Stanton1,2, Awen Gallimore1,2, James P. Hindley3 &
Andrew Godkin1