An open resource for T cell phenotype changes in COVID-19 identifies IL-10-producing regulatory T cells as characteristic of severe cases

Neumann, J.; Prezzemolo, T.; Vanderbeke, L.; Roca, C. P.; Gerbaux, M.; Janssens, S.; Willemsen, M.; Burton, O.; Van Mol, P.; Van Herck, Y.; CONTAGIOUS co-authors,; Wauters, J.; Wauters, E.; Liston, A.; Humblet-Baron, S.

The pandemic spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is due, in part, to the immunological properties of the host-viral interaction. The clinical presentation varies greatly from individual to individual, with asymptomatic carriers, mild to moderate-presenting patients and severely affected patients. Variation in immune response to SARS-CoV-2 may underlie this clinical variation. Using a high dimensional systems immunology platform we have analysed the peripheral blood compartment of 6 healthy individuals, 23 mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients and 20 severe COVID-19 patients. We identify distinct immunological signatures in the peripheral blood of the mild-to-moderate and severe COVID-19 patients, including T cell lymphopenia, more consistent with peripheral hypo- than hyper-immune activation. Unique to the severe COVID-19 cases was a large increase in the proportion of IL-10-secreting regulatory T cells, a lineage known to possess anti-inflammatory properties in the lung. Annotated data is openly available (https://flowrepository.org/experiments/2713) with clinical correlates, as a systems immunology resource for the COVID-19 research community.