Broad spectrum SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity in hospitalized First Nations peoples recovering from COVID-19.

• Published in: Immunology & Cell Biology
• Main Authors: Zhang W, Clemens E B, Kedzierski L, Chua B Y, Mayo M, Lonzi C, Hinchcliff A, Rigas V, Middleton B F, Binks P, Rowntree L C, Allen L F, Tan H-X, Petersen J, Chaurasia P, Krammer F, Wheatley A K, Kent S J, Rossjohn J, Miller A, Lynar S, Nelson J, Nguyen T H, Davies J, Kedzierska K
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2023
• Subjects: Clayton; Menzies; First Nations
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10137/12538; https://doi.org/10.1111/imcb.12691; https://www.ezpdhcs.nt.gov.au/login?url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37725525

Indigenous peoples globally are at increased risk of COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality. However, data that describe immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in Indigenous populations are lacking. We evaluated immune responses in Australian First Nations peoples hospitalized with COVID-19. Our work comprehensively mapped out inflammatory, humoral and adaptive immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients were recruited early following the lifting of strict public health measures in the Northern Territory, Australia, between November 2021 and May 2022. Australian First Nations peoples recovering from COVID-19 showed increased levels of MCP-1 and IL-8 cytokines, IgG-antibodies against Delta-RBD and memory SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses prior to hospital discharge in comparison with hospital admission, with resolution of hyperactivated HLA-DR(+) CD38(+) T cells. SARS-CoV-2 infection elicited coordinated ASC, Tfh and CD8(+) T cell responses in concert with CD4(+) T cell responses. Delta and Omicron RBD-IgG, as well as Ancestral N-IgG antibodies, strongly correlated with Ancestral RBD-IgG antibodies and Spike-specific memory B cells. We provide evidence of broad and robust immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection in Indigenous peoples, resembling those of non-Indigenous COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Parkville, VIC, Australia. Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia. Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia. Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA. ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. ...