Mild Cytokine Elevation, Moderate CD4+ T Cell Response and Abundant Antibody Production in Children with COVID-19.
Virol Sin
; 35(6): 734-743, 2020 Dec.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-662445
ABSTRACT
Children with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were reported to show milder symptoms and better prognosis than their adult counterparts, but the difference of immune response against SARS-CoV-2 between children and adults hasn't been reported. Therefore we initiated this study to figure out the features of immune response in children with COVID-19. Sera and whole blood cells from 19 children with COVID-19 during different phases after disease onset were collected. The cytokine concentrations, SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD or N-specific antibodies and T cell immune responses were detected respectively. In children with COVID-19, only 3 of 12 cytokines were increased in acute sera, including interferon (IFN)-γ-induced protein 10 (IP10), interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-16. We observed an increase in T helper (Th)-2 cells and a suppression in regulatory T cells (Treg) in patients during acute phase, but no significant response was found in the IFN-γ-producing or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-producing CD8+ T cells in patients. S-RBD and N IgM showed an early induction, while S-RBD and N IgG were prominently induced later in convalescent phase. Potent S-RBD IgA response was observed but N IgA seemed to be inconspicuous. Children with COVID-19 displayed an immunophenotype that is less inflammatory than adults, including unremarkable cytokine elevation, moderate CD4+ T cell response and inactive CD8+ T cell response, but their humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 were as strong as adults. Our finding presented immunological characteristics of children with COVID-19 and might give some clues as to why children develop less severe disease than adults.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
/
Cytokines
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Virol Sin
Journal subject:
Virology
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S12250-020-00265-8
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