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Nirmatrelvir treatment blunts the development of antiviral adaptive immune responses in SARS-CoV-2 infected mice
Preprint
in English
| bioRxiv
| ID: ppbiorxiv-517465
ABSTRACT
Alongside vaccines, antiviral drugs are becoming an integral part of our response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Nirmatrelvir - an orally available inhibitor of the 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease - has been shown to reduce the risk of progression to severe COVID-19. However, the impact of nirmatrelvir treatment on the development of SARS-CoV-2-specific adaptive immune responses is unknown. Here, by using a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we show that nirmatrelvir administration early after infection blunts the development of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody and T cell responses. Accordingly, upon secondary challenge, nirmatrelvir-treated mice recruited significantly fewer memory T and B cells to the infected lungs and to mediastinal lymph nodes, respectively. Together, the data highlight a potential negative impact of nirmatrelvir treatment with important implications for clinical management and might help explain the virological and/or symptomatic relapse after treatment completion reported in some individuals.
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Full text:
Available
Collection:
Preprints
Database:
bioRxiv
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document type:
Preprint
