Coronavirus: B cells and T cells explained


Authors: Beth Daley, Editor and General Manager To get the upper hand on the coronavirus, we first need to understand how our immune system reacts to it. Understanding this will lead to better treatments, effective vaccines and knowing how near we are to herd immunity – and if it’s even achievable. Every day, new research […]

Lasting immunity found after recovery from COVID-19


Authors: References: Immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for up to 8 months after infection. Dan JM, Mateus J, Kato Y, Hastie KM, Yu ED, Faliti CE, Grifoni A, Ramirez SI, Haupt S, Frazier A, Nakao C, Rayaprolu V, Rawlings SA, Peters B, Krammer F, Simon V, Saphire EO, Smith DM, Weiskopf D, Sette A, Crotty S. Science. 2021 […]

COVID-19 Makes B Cells Forget, but T Cells Remember


Authors: Pablo F Cañete 1, Carola G Vinuesa 2 Abstract Understanding which arms of the immune response are responsible for protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection is key to predicting long-term immunity and to inform vaccine design. Two studies in this issue of Cell collectively suggest that, although SARS-CoV-2 infection may blunt long-lived antibody responses, immune memory might still be […]

How B cells fight the COVID-19 virus


Authors: Sarah C.P. Williams A study of antibody-producing B cells from patients who recovered from COVID-19 reveals a new cross-reactive antibody and what makes some B cells more effective at neutralizing the virus. Inside the body of a person with COVID-19, the immune system’s B cells are engaged in a full-scale battle with the SARS-CoV-2 […]

B cell memory: understanding COVID-19


Authors: Isaak Quast1 and David Tarlinton1,∗ Immunological memory is a mechanism to protect us against reinfection. Antibodies produced by B cells are integral to this defense strategy and underlie virtually all vaccine success. Here, we explain how B cell memory is generated by infection and vaccination, what influences its efficacy and its persistence, and how characterizing these […]

SARS-CoV-2-Specific Memory T Lymphocytes From COVID-19 Convalescent Donors: Identification, Biobanking, and Large-Scale Production for Adoptive Cell Therapy


Authors: C. Ferreras1†, B. Pascual-Miguel1†, C. Mestre-Durán1, A. Navarro-Zapata1, L. Clares-Villa1, C. Martín-Cortázar1, R. De Paz2, A. Marcos2, J. L. Vicario3, A. Balas3, F. García-Sánchez3, C. Eguizabal4,5, C. Solano6, M. Mora-Rillo7, B. Soria8,9 and A. Pérez-Martínez1,10,11* Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is causing a second outbreak significantly delaying the hope for the virus’ complete eradication. In the absence of effective vaccines, we need effective treatments with low adverse effects that can […]

What is the role of T cells in COVID-19 infection? Why immunity is about more than antibodies


Summary CD4+ T cells help B cells to produce antibodies and help CD8+ T cells to kill virus-infected cells One of the dominant cytokines produced by T cells is interferon gamma, a key player in controlling viral infection – see also [41] Lymphopenia is a main feature of COVID-19 infection, affecting CD4+ T cells, CD8+ […]