Original Article
Long term SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular immunity after COVID-19 in liver transplant recipients

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2023.03.003Get rights and content
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Abstract

Purpose

Long-term immunity after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in immunosuppressed patients is not well characterized. We aimed to explore the long-term natural immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in liver transplant (LT) recipients compared to the non-transplanted population (control group).

Methods

Fifteen LT recipients and 15 controls matched according to variables associated with disease severity were included at 12 months following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) onset. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with peptide pools covering spike (S), nucleocapside (N), and membrane (M) proteins. Reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were identified using flow cytometry, and cytokine production was evaluated in the culture supernatants using cytometric bead array. Serum anti-N and anti-S IgG antibodies were detected with chemiluminescence.

Results

The percentage of patients with a positive response in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells against each viral protein and IL2, IL10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels was similar between LT recipients and controls. IFN-γ levels were positively correlated with the percentage of reactive CD4+ (p = 0.022) and CD8+ (p = 0.043) T cells to a mixture of M + N + S peptide pools. The prevalence and levels of anti-N and anti-S IgG antibodies were slightly lower in the LT recipients, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

LT recipients exhibited a similar T cell response compared to non-transplanted individuals one year after COVID-19 diagnosis.

Keywords

Flow cytometry
Humoral immunity
Liver transplantation
Reactive T cells
SARS-CoV-2

Abbreviations

SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019
LT
liver transplant
S
Spike
N
Nucleocapside
M
Membrane
PBMC
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells
SD
standar deviation
TNF
tumor necrosis factor
IFN
interferon
IQR
interquartile range
DP
double positive
SOT
solid organ transplantation

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