Cited by 351SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchImmune responses and vaccinationsCOVID-19 Clinical Research Studies

Evolution of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in mild-moderate COVID-19

Open access
Wheatley, Adam K., Juno, Jennifer A., Wang, Jing J., Selva, Kevin J., Reynaldi, Arnold, Tan, Hyon-Xhi, Lee, Wen Shi, Wragg, Kathleen M. +14 more·2021·Nature Communications

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Abstract The durability of infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 immunity has major implications for reinfection and vaccine development. Here, we show a comprehensive profile of antibody, B cell and T cell dynamics over time in a cohort of patients who have recovered from mild-moderate COVID-19. Binding and neutralising antibody responses, together with individual serum clonotypes, decay over the first 4 months post-infection. A similar decline in Spike-specific CD4 + and circulating T follicular helper frequencies occurs. By contrast, S-specific IgG + memory B cells consistently accumulate over time, eventually comprising a substantial fraction of circulating the memory B cell pool. Modelling of the concomitant immune kinetics predicts maintenance of serological neutralising activity above a titre of 1:40 in 50% of convalescent participants to 74 days, although there is probably additive protection from B cell and T cell immunity. This study indicates that SARS-CoV-2 immunity after infection might be transiently protective at a population level. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines might require greater immunogenicity and durability than natural infection to drive long-term protection.

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  1. [25]Selva, K. J. et al. Distinct systems serology features in children, elderly and COVID patients. medRxiv https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.11.20098459v1 (2020). · DOI

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Authors
Wheatley, A. K., Juno, J. A., Wang, J. J., Selva, K. J., Reynaldi, A., Tan, H.-X., Lee, W. S., Wragg, K. M., Kelly, H. G., Esterbauer, R., Davis, S. K., Kent, H. E., Mordant, F. L., Schlub, T. E., Gordon, D. L., Khoury, D. S., Subbarao, K., Cromer, D., Gordon, T. P., Chung, A. W., Davenport, M. P., & Kent, S. J.
Affiliations
  • Australian Research Council (AU)
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
  • Flinders University (AU)
  • UNSW Sydney (AU)
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
  • South Australia Pathology (AU)
Corresponding author
Kent, Stephen J.
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2021-02-19
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
1162-1162
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3131938123
Cited by
351
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 61 · 2022: 142 · 2021: 86 · 2020: 3
FWCI
25.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • medRxiv (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UNSWorks (University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • The Sydney eScholarship Repository (The University of Sydney) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1149990)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune responses and vaccinations
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, immune response dynamics, antibody waning, neutralizing antibodies, memory B cells, T follicular helper cells, CD4+ T cells, reinfection, convalescent patients, spike protein
MeSH terms
COVID-19, Antibodies, Viral, Antibody Formation, B-Lymphocytes, T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Immunity, Cellular, Immunologic Memory, Longitudinal Studies, Models, Theoretical, Neutralization Tests, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Antibodies, Neutralizing

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