Immune response in children with COVID-19 is characterized by lower levels of T-cell activation than infected adults

Eur J Immunol. 2020 Sep;50(9):1412-1414. doi: 10.1002/eji.202048724. Epub 2020 Jul 29.

Abstract

Study of immunological features of immune response in 14 children (aged from 12 days up to 15 years) and of 10 adults who developed COVID-19 show increased number of activated CD4 and CD8 cells expressing DR and higher plasmatic levels of IL-12 and IL-1β in adults with COVID-19, but not in children. In addition, plasmatic levels of CCL5/RANTES are higher in children and adults with COVID-19, while CXCL9/MIG was only increased in adults. Higher number of activated T cells and expression of IL-12 and CXCL9 suggest prominent Th1 polarization of immune response against SARS-CoV2 in infected adults as compared with children.

Keywords: CCL5/RANTES; COVID-19; CXCL9/MIG; SARS-CoV-2; T-cell activation.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / blood*
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 / pathology
  • Chemokine CCL2 / blood
  • Chemokine CCL5 / blood
  • Chemokine CXCL10 / blood
  • Chemokine CXCL9 / blood
  • Chemokines / blood*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Interleukin-8 / blood
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Lymphopenia / pathology
  • Male
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology

Substances

  • CCL2 protein, human
  • CCL5 protein, human
  • CXCL10 protein, human
  • CXCL8 protein, human
  • CXCL9 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL2
  • Chemokine CCL5
  • Chemokine CXCL10
  • Chemokine CXCL9
  • Chemokines
  • Interleukin-8