Identification of Conserved SARS-CoV-2 Spike Epitopes That Expand Public CTfh Clonotypes in Mild COVID-19 Patients

Overview

Journal J Exp Med

Specialties Allergy & Immunology
General Medicine

Date 2021 Oct 14

PMID 34647971

Citations 18

Authors

Xiuyuan Lu

Yuki Hosono

Masamichi Nagae

Shigenari Ishizuka

Eri Ishikawa

Daisuke Motooka

Yuki Ozaki

Nicolas Sax

Yuichi Maeda

Yasuhiro Kato

Takayoshi Morita

Ryo Shinnakasu

Takeshi Inoue

Taishi Onodera

Takayuki Matsumura

Masaharu Shinkai

Takashi Sato

Shota Nakamura

Shunsuke Mori

Teru Kanda

Emi E Nakayama

Tatsuo Shioda

Tomohiro Kurosaki

Kiyoshi Takeda

Atsushi Kumanogoh

Hisashi Arase

Hironori Nakagami

Kazuo Yamashita

Yoshimasa Takahashi

Sho Yamasaki

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Adaptive immunity is a fundamental component in controlling COVID-19. In this process, follicular helper T (Tfh) cells are a subset of CD4+ T cells that mediate the production of protective antibodies; however, the SARS-CoV-2 epitopes activating Tfh cells are not well characterized. Here, we identified and crystallized TCRs of public circulating Tfh (cTfh) clonotypes that are expanded in patients who have recovered from mild symptoms. These public clonotypes recognized the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) epitopes conserved across emerging variants. The epitope of the most prevalent cTfh clonotype, S864-882, was presented by multiple HLAs and activated T cells in most healthy donors, suggesting that this S region is a universal T cell epitope useful for booster antigen. SARS-CoV-2-specific public cTfh clonotypes also cross-reacted with specific commensal bacteria. In this study, we identified conserved SARS-CoV-2 S epitopes that activate public cTfh clonotypes associated with mild symptoms.

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