Decreased T cell populations contribute to the increased severity of COVID-19

Rui Liu; Ying Wang; Jie Li; Huan Han; Zunen Xia; Fang Liu; Kailang Wu; Lan Yang; Xinghui Liu; Chengliang Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.cca.2020.05.019

Decreased T cell populations contribute to the increased severity of COVID-19

Clin Chim Acta. 2020 Sep:508:110-114. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2020.05.019. Epub 2020 May 13.

Authors

Rui Liu¹, Ying Wang², Jie Li³, Huan Han¹, Zunen Xia¹, Fang Liu⁴, Kailang Wu⁵, Lan Yang⁶, Xinghui Liu⁶, Chengliang Zhu⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, PR China.
² Shanghai Health Commission Key Lab of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Based Management of Inflammation and Chronic Diseases, Sino-French Cooperative Central Lab, Shanghai Pudong Gongli Hospital, Secondary Military Medical University, Shanghai 200135, PR China.
³ Postgraduate training base in Shanghai Gongli Hospital, Ningxia medical university, Pudong New Area, Shanghai200135, PR China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, PR China; Wuhan Institute of Biotechnology, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, PR China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, PR China.
⁶ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Gongli Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Pudong New Area, Shanghai200135, PR China.
⁷ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, PR China. Electronic address: xinchengzhu@163.com.

Abstract

Background: We observe changes of the main lymphocyte subsets (CD16⁺CD56、CD19、CD3、CD4、and CD8) in COVID-19-infected patients and explore whether the changes are associated with disease severity.

Methods: One-hundred and fifty-four cases of COVID-19-infected patients were selected and divided into 3 groups (moderate group, severe group and critical group). The flow cytometry assay was performed to examine the numbers of lymphocyte subsets.

Results: CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8 + T lymphocyte subsets were decreased in COVID-19-infected patients. Compared with the moderate group and the sever group, CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in the critical group decreased greatly (P < 0.001, P = 0.005 or P = 0.001).

Conclusions: Reduced CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ T lymphocyte counts may reflect the severity of the COVID-19. Monitoring T cell changes has important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of severe patients who may become critically ill.

Keywords: CD3(+) T cells; CD4(+) T cells; CD8(+) T cells; COVID-19; Lymphocyte subsets.

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity*
Biomarkers / analysis
CD3 Complex / genetics
CD3 Complex / immunology
CD4 Antigens / genetics
CD4 Antigens / immunology
CD8 Antigens / genetics
CD8 Antigens / immunology
COVID-19
Cardiovascular Diseases / diagnosis*
Cardiovascular Diseases / immunology
Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality
Cardiovascular Diseases / physiopathology
Cohort Studies
Comorbidity
Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
Coronavirus Infections / immunology
Coronavirus Infections / mortality
Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology
Diabetes Mellitus / diagnosis*
Diabetes Mellitus / immunology
Diabetes Mellitus / mortality
Diabetes Mellitus / physiopathology
Female
Gene Expression
Humans
Immunophenotyping
Lung Diseases / diagnosis*
Lung Diseases / immunology
Lung Diseases / mortality
Lung Diseases / physiopathology
Male
Middle Aged
Pandemics
Patient Selection
Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
Pneumonia, Viral / immunology
Pneumonia, Viral / mortality
Pneumonia, Viral / physiopathology
Prognosis
SARS-CoV-2
Severity of Illness Index
Survival Analysis
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology*
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / virology

Substances

Biomarkers
CD3 Complex
CD4 Antigens
CD8 Antigens