Interdisciplinary framework on the role of adaptive cellular immunity in SARS-CoV-2 protection

Adaptive immunity is critical for long-term protection from viral disease.

In the light of recent studies showing waning antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2, there is a pressing need to understand if natural exposure to SARS-CoV-2 generates durable immunity and protection from reinfection.

To address this question, we here assemble a world class multidisciplinary team of COVID-19 researchers from Sweden and China.

Our recent results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces a robust adaptive cellular immune response that in animal models is associated with protection from SARS-CoV-2 reinfection.

However, whether adaptive cellular immune responses mediated by B and T cells are durable over an extended period of time remains unknown.

We will here track the longitudinal maintenance of SARS-CoV-2 specific B and T cell responses in individuals with different COVID-19 severity (Aim 1-2).

We will next use newly established animal models to mechanistically dissect if B and T cells are critical for protection against COVID-19 (Aim 3).

Collection of unique human samples together with the use of cutting-edge animal models and single-cell technologies will be the central tenet of this project proposal, where we hypothesize that humans, despite waning antibody responses, generate robust and protective B and T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2.

This information will have implications for future viral pandemic, public health and vaccine strategies.