CD8+ T-Cell Epitope Variations Suggest a Potential Antigen HLA-A2 Binding Deficiency for Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2

Front Immunol. 2022 Jan 18:12:764949. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.764949. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

We identified SARS-CoV-2 specific antigen epitopes by HLA-A2 binding affinity analysis and characterized their ability to activate T cells. As the pandemic continues, variations in SARS-CoV-2 virus strains have been found in many countries. In this study, we directly assess the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 epitope variants. We first predicted potential HLA-A*02:01-restricted CD8+ T-cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2. Using the T2 cell model, HLA-A*02:01-restricted T-cell epitopes were screened for their binding affinity and ability to activate T cells. Subsequently, we examined the identified epitope variations and analyzed their impact on immune response. Here, we identified specific HLA-A2-restricted T-cell epitopes in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Seven epitope peptides were confirmed to bind with HLA-A*02:01 and potentially be presented by antigen-presenting cells to induce host immune responses. Tetramers containing these peptides could interact with specific CD8+ T cells from convalescent COVID-19 patients, and one dominant epitope (n-Sp1) was defined. These epitopes could activate and generate epitope-specific T cells in vitro, and those activated T cells showed cytolytic activity toward target cells. Meanwhile, n-Sp1 epitope variant 5L>F significantly decreased the proportion of specific T-cell activation; n-Sp1 epitope 8L>V variant showed significantly reduced binding to HLA-A*02:01 and decreased proportion of n-Sp1-specific CD8+ T cell, which potentially contributes to the immune escape of SARS-CoV-2. Our data indicate that the variation of a dominant epitope will cause the deficiency of HLA-A*02:01 binding and T-cell activation, which subsequently requires the formation of a new CD8+ T-cell immune response in COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: CD8+ T-cell epitope; SARS-CoV-2; antigen presentation deficiency; spike protein; variations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Antigenic Variation
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / chemistry
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Female
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology*

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2