Comparison of T cell maturation profiles in the 1st and 5th wave of COVID-19 in the Polish population

Abstract

Background. The coronavirus pandemic has become the most critical global health threat of this century and the greatest challenge to the human population. The search for simple and quick diagnostic methods enabling the identification of patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus may be a valuable method to track infection.Objectives. The aim of the study was the clinical and immunological characterization of patients by assessing the degrees of maturity of T lymphocytes from the 1 st and 5 th waves of coronavirus disease 2019 in comparison to a healthy control group (HC). Materials and methods.We determined leukocyte and T lymphocyte subpopulations (recent thymic emigrant (RTE), naïve, effector, central memory and effector memory) in patients from the 1 st COVID-19 wave (n = 23), the 5 th COVID-19 wave (n = 38) and HC (n=20) using a panel of monoclonal antibodies using multiparameter flow cytometry.Results. We observed a lower median proportion of lymphocytes and NK cells, and elevated percentage and number of neutrophils in patients from the 5 th wave compared to the 1 st . We found a reduced percentage of CD4 + effector memory cells in the 1 st wave group compared to the 5 th wave (14. 1 vs 23.2, p < 0.05), and a higher percentage of RTE and naïve CD8 + cells in the 1 st wave compared to the 5 th wave (p < 0.05). The effector memory CD8 + cells were highest in the 5 th wave compared to both 1 st wave and HC patients (respectively, 35. 1 vs 18. 1 vs 19.3%, p < 0.05). The 5 th wave group showed significantly more differences compared to HC. Conclusions.Our results showed a clear increase of effector cells with a simultaneous decrease in virgin T cells in the 5 th COVID-19 infection. Monitoring lymphocyte subsets during infection allows assessment of the patient's immune status and of readiness of lymphocytes to respond to the immune response, and may be necessary to improve clinical outcomes.