AUTHOR=Vo Hoa Thi My , Maestri Alvino , Auerswald Heidi , Sorn Sopheak , Lay Sokchea , Seng Heng , Sann Sotheary , Ya Nisa , Pean Polidy , Dussart Philippe , Schwartz Olivier , Ly Sovann , Bruel Timothée , Ly Sowath , Duong Veasna , Karlsson Erik A. , Cantaert Tineke TITLE=Robust and Functional Immune Memory Up to 9 Months After SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Southeast Asian Longitudinal Cohort JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.817905 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.817905 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

The duration of humoral and cellular immune memory following SARS-CoV-2 infection in populations in least developed countries remains understudied but is key to overcome the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Sixty-four Cambodian individuals with laboratory-confirmed infection with asymptomatic or mild/moderate clinical presentation were evaluated for Spike (S)-binding and neutralizing antibodies and antibody effector functions during acute phase of infection and at 6-9 months follow-up. Antigen-specific B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were characterized, and T cells were interrogated for functionality at late convalescence. Anti-S antibody titers decreased over time, but effector functions mediated by S-specific antibodies remained stable. S- and nucleocapsid (N)-specific B cells could be detected in late convalescence in the activated memory B cell compartment and are mostly IgG+. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell immune memory was maintained to S and membrane (M) protein. Asymptomatic infection resulted in decreased antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and frequency of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cells at late convalescence. Whereas anti-S antibodies correlated with S-specific B cells, there was no correlation between T cell response and humoral immune memory. Hence, all aspects of a protective immune response are maintained up to nine months after SARS-CoV-2 infection and in the absence of re-infection.