NEWS RELEASE 1-DEC-2022

Immune T cell defence is coping with COVID-19 variants of concern – for now

Broad T-cell response is currently protective but recognition of seven out of ten T-cell targets mutated in SARS-CoV-2 variants is impaired

Peer-Reviewed Publication
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Immune T cells are continuing to target the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, although mutations are making some T cells less effective, according to new research.

Published in Nature Immunology, researchers from the University of Birmingham have shown that human T cell immunity is currently coping with mutations that have accumulated over time in COVID-19 variants.

In the study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the research partner of the NHS, the researchers tested CD4+ T cells collected at the start of the pandemic from healthcare workers infected with COVID-19.

Some of the T-cells were still able to recognise parts of the spike protein, called epitopes, unaltered in later virus strains including the current Omicron variant. However, T cell recognition was worse against seven out of ten epitopes mutated in different variants of concern.

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