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Fading SARS-CoV-2 humoral and sustained cellular immunity in convalescent children and adolescents
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  • Krystallenia Paniskaki,
  • Sarah Goretzki,
  • Moritz Anft,
  • Margarethe J. Konik,
  • Klara Lechtenberg,
  • Melanie Vogl,
  • Toni L. Meister,
  • Stephanie Pfaender,
  • Markus Zettler,
  • Jasmin Jäger,
  • Sebastian Dolff,
  • Timm H. Westhoff,
  • Hana Rohn,
  • Ursula Felderhoff-Mueser,
  • Ulrik Stervbo,
  • Oliver Witzke,
  • Christian Dohna-schwake,
  • Nina Babel
Krystallenia Paniskaki
Universitat Duisburg-Essen Universitatsbibliothek Duisburg-Essen

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Sarah Goretzki
Universitat Duisburg-Essen - Campus Essen
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Moritz Anft
Universitatsklinikum der Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
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Margarethe J. Konik
Universitat Duisburg-Essen Universitatsbibliothek Duisburg-Essen
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Klara Lechtenberg
Universitat Duisburg-Essen - Campus Essen
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Melanie Vogl
Universitat Duisburg-Essen - Campus Essen
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Toni L. Meister
Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
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Stephanie Pfaender
Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
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Markus Zettler
Universitat Duisburg-Essen Universitatsbibliothek Duisburg-Essen
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Jasmin Jäger
Universitat Duisburg-Essen Universitatsbibliothek Duisburg-Essen
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Sebastian Dolff
Universitat Duisburg-Essen Universitatsbibliothek Duisburg-Essen
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Timm H. Westhoff
Marienhospital Herne Medizinische Klinik I Innere Medizin
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Hana Rohn
Universitat Duisburg-Essen Universitatsbibliothek Duisburg-Essen
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Ursula Felderhoff-Mueser
Universitat Duisburg-Essen - Campus Essen
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Ulrik Stervbo
Universitatsklinikum der Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
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Oliver Witzke
Universitat Duisburg-Essen Universitatsbibliothek Duisburg-Essen
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Christian Dohna-schwake
Universitat Duisburg-Essen - Campus Essen
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Nina Babel
Universitatsklinikum der Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
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Abstract

Cross-reactive cellular and humoral immunity can substantially contribute to antiviral defense against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC). While the adult SARS-CoV-2 cellular and humoral immunity and its cross-recognition potential against VOC is broadly analyzed, similar data regarding the pediatric population are missing. In this study, we perform an analysis of the humoral and cellular SARS-CoV-2 response immune of 32 convalescent COVID-19 children (children), 27 convalescent vaccinated adults(C+V+) and 7 unvaccinated convalescent adults (C+V-). SARS-CoV-2 reactive T cell response is analyzed via multiparametric flowcytometry and humoral immunity is addressed via pseudovirus neutralization assay. Similarly to adults, a significant loss of neutralizing capacity against delta and omicron VOC was observed 6 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. While SAR-CoV-2 neutralizing capacity was comparable among children and C+V- against all VOC, children demonstrated as expected an inferior humoral response when compared to C+V+. Nevertheless, children generated SARS-CoV-2 reactive T cells with broad cross-recognition potential. When compared to V+C+, children presented even comparable frequencies of WT-reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with high avidity. Our results suggest that following SARS-CoV-2 infection children generate a humoral SARS-CoV-2 response with neutralizing potential comparable to unvaccinated COVID-19 convalescent adults as well a sustained SARS-CoV-2 cellular response cross-reactive to VOC.