SARS-CoV-2 infection induces long-lived bone marrow plasma cells in humans

Nature. 2021 Jul;595(7867):421-425. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03647-4. Epub 2021 May 24.

Abstract

Long-lived bone marrow plasma cells (BMPCs) are a persistent and essential source of protective antibodies1-7. Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 have a substantially lower risk of reinfection with SARS-CoV-28-10. Nonetheless, it has been reported that levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 serum antibodies decrease rapidly in the first few months after infection, raising concerns that long-lived BMPCs may not be generated and humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 may be short-lived11-13. Here we show that in convalescent individuals who had experienced mild SARS-CoV-2 infections (n = 77), levels of serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) antibodies declined rapidly in the first 4 months after infection and then more gradually over the following 7 months, remaining detectable at least 11 months after infection. Anti-S antibody titres correlated with the frequency of S-specific plasma cells in bone marrow aspirates from 18 individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 at 7 to 8 months after infection. S-specific BMPCs were not detected in aspirates from 11 healthy individuals with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We show that S-binding BMPCs are quiescent, which suggests that they are part of a stable compartment. Consistently, circulating resting memory B cells directed against SARS-CoV-2 S were detected in the convalescent individuals. Overall, our results indicate that mild infection with SARS-CoV-2 induces robust antigen-specific, long-lived humoral immune memory in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / immunology*
  • Cell Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasma Cells / cytology*
  • Plasma Cells / immunology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2