Cutting Edge: SARS-CoV-2 Infection Induces Robust Germinal Center Activity in the Human Tonsil

HX Tan; KM Wragg; HG Kelly; R Esterbauer; BJ Dixon; JSY Lau; KL Flanagan; CE van de Sandt; K Kedzierska; JH McMahon; AK Wheatley; JA Juno; SJ Kent

Journal article

Cutting Edge: SARS-CoV-2 Infection Induces Robust Germinal Center Activity in the Human Tonsil

HX Tan, KM Wragg, HG Kelly, R Esterbauer, BJ Dixon, JSY Lau, KL Flanagan, CE van de Sandt, K Kedzierska, JH McMahon, AK Wheatley, JA Juno, SJ Kent

Journal of Immunology | Published : 2022

DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2101199

Abstract

Understanding the generation of immunity to SARSCoV- 2 in lymphoid tissues draining the site of infection has implications for immunity to SARS-CoV-2. We performed tonsil biopsies under local anesthesia in 19 subjects who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection 24-225 d previously. The biopsies yielded >3 million cells for flow cytometric analysis in 17 subjects. Total and SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific germinal center B cells, and T follicular helper cells, were readily detectable in human tonsils early after SARS-CoV-2 infection, as assessed by flow cytometry. Responses were higher in samples within 2 mo of infection but still detectable in some subjects out to 7 mo following infection. We conc..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Hyon Xhi Tan Author

Kathleen Wragg Author

Robyn Esterbauer Author

Ben Dixon Author

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Grants

Awarded by Clifford Craig Foundation

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Victorian Government, the Australian Medical Research Future Fund Award 2002073 (to S.J.K. and A.K. W.), National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant 1149990 (to S.J.K.), National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant GNT1162760 (to A.K.W.), National Health and Medical Research Council fellowships (to S.J.K., J.A.J., H.-X.T., A.K.W., and K. K.), an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award fellowship (to C.E.v.d.S.), and by a project grant from the Clifford Craig Foundation (to K.L.F. and K.K.).