Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, Senegal
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact globally, yet African populations exhibited unexpectedly lower rates of severe disease and mortality. We investigated the potential role of pre-existing immunity in shaping the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Africa.MethodsPlasma collected from Senegal...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1522733/full |
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| author | Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Beth Chaplin Souleymane MBoup Adam Abdullahi Adam Abdullahi Michelle He Sydney M. Fisher Sulaimon Akanmu Charlotte A. Chang Donald J. Hamel Ravindra K. Gupta Ravindra K. Gupta Phyllis J. Kanki |
| author_facet | Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Beth Chaplin Souleymane MBoup Adam Abdullahi Adam Abdullahi Michelle He Sydney M. Fisher Sulaimon Akanmu Charlotte A. Chang Donald J. Hamel Ravindra K. Gupta Ravindra K. Gupta Phyllis J. Kanki |
| author_sort | Bobby Brooke Herrera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact globally, yet African populations exhibited unexpectedly lower rates of severe disease and mortality. We investigated the potential role of pre-existing immunity in shaping the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Africa.MethodsPlasma collected from Senegalese female sex workers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was screened for SARS-CoV-2 and human coronavirus (hCoV) antibodies by virion immunoblots. For antibody-reactive plasma, paired peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated by fusion proteins and IFN-γ cellular responses were assessed via ELISPOT.ResultsWe observed substantial levels of pre-existing cross-reactive immunity to SARS-CoV-2, stemming from prior exposure to seasonal hCoVs. Our antibody analysis revealed a 23.5% (47/200) seroprevalence rate against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N). These samples were then probed for antibodies against hCoV spike (S) and/or N antigens; 85.1% (40/47), 70.2% (33/47), and 95.7% (45/47) were antibody reactive against hCoV-229E, hCoV-OC43, or hCoV-HKU1, respectively. Our analysis of cellular responses also demonstrated cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 with 80.0% (36/45) and 82.2% (37/45) showing IFN-γ responses against S and N, respectively. A unique pre-pandemic subject had cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 S antibodies with detectable neutralization and cross-reactive cellular responses.ConclusionThese findings suggest that prior hCoV exposure may induce cross-reactive adaptive immunity, potentially contributing to protection against COVID-19. Our study provides unique data on the dynamics of hCoV and SARS-CoV-2 immunity in Senegal and underscores the importance of understanding the role of pre-existing immunity in shaping COVID-19 outcomes globally. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c8ffacd9aa7147f79bdf920e78aaf183 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-c8ffacd9aa7147f79bdf920e78aaf1832025-01-23T06:56:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-01-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15227331522733Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, SenegalBobby Brooke Herrera0Bobby Brooke Herrera1Bobby Brooke Herrera2Bobby Brooke Herrera3Beth Chaplin4Souleymane MBoup5Adam Abdullahi6Adam Abdullahi7Michelle He8Sydney M. Fisher9Sulaimon Akanmu10Charlotte A. Chang11Donald J. Hamel12Ravindra K. Gupta13Ravindra K. Gupta14Phyllis J. Kanki15Rutgers Global Health Institute, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesDepartment of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, and Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesMir Biosciences, Inc., Dunellen, NJ, United StatesDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United StatesInstitut De Recherche En Santé De Surveillance Épidémiologique Et De Formation (IRESSEF), Dakar, SenegalCambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United StatesLagos University Teaching Hospital, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, NigeriaDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United StatesCambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United StatesBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact globally, yet African populations exhibited unexpectedly lower rates of severe disease and mortality. We investigated the potential role of pre-existing immunity in shaping the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Africa.MethodsPlasma collected from Senegalese female sex workers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was screened for SARS-CoV-2 and human coronavirus (hCoV) antibodies by virion immunoblots. For antibody-reactive plasma, paired peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated by fusion proteins and IFN-γ cellular responses were assessed via ELISPOT.ResultsWe observed substantial levels of pre-existing cross-reactive immunity to SARS-CoV-2, stemming from prior exposure to seasonal hCoVs. Our antibody analysis revealed a 23.5% (47/200) seroprevalence rate against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N). These samples were then probed for antibodies against hCoV spike (S) and/or N antigens; 85.1% (40/47), 70.2% (33/47), and 95.7% (45/47) were antibody reactive against hCoV-229E, hCoV-OC43, or hCoV-HKU1, respectively. Our analysis of cellular responses also demonstrated cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 with 80.0% (36/45) and 82.2% (37/45) showing IFN-γ responses against S and N, respectively. A unique pre-pandemic subject had cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 S antibodies with detectable neutralization and cross-reactive cellular responses.ConclusionThese findings suggest that prior hCoV exposure may induce cross-reactive adaptive immunity, potentially contributing to protection against COVID-19. Our study provides unique data on the dynamics of hCoV and SARS-CoV-2 immunity in Senegal and underscores the importance of understanding the role of pre-existing immunity in shaping COVID-19 outcomes globally.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1522733/fullSARS-CoV-2antibodycellular responsescross-reactivitySenegal |
| spellingShingle | Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Bobby Brooke Herrera Beth Chaplin Souleymane MBoup Adam Abdullahi Adam Abdullahi Michelle He Sydney M. Fisher Sulaimon Akanmu Charlotte A. Chang Donald J. Hamel Ravindra K. Gupta Ravindra K. Gupta Phyllis J. Kanki Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, Senegal Frontiers in Public Health SARS-CoV-2 antibody cellular responses cross-reactivity Senegal |
| title | Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, Senegal |
| title_full | Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, Senegal |
| title_fullStr | Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, Senegal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, Senegal |
| title_short | Pre-pandemic cross-reactive antibody and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2 among female sex workers in Dakar, Senegal |
| title_sort | pre pandemic cross reactive antibody and cellular responses against sars cov 2 among female sex workers in dakar senegal |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 antibody cellular responses cross-reactivity Senegal |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1522733/full |
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