{
  "abstract": "Serum antibody–based neutralisation assays correlate with protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2, but cell-mediated in vitro cytotoxicity assays are lacking. Data on virus-specific respiratory tract immune responses in humans remain limited. Fifteen healthy participants who had previously been hospitalised with severe COVID-19 pneumonia were recruited. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and nasal lavage (NL) cells were phenotyped by flow cytometry. Cells were stimulated with SARS-CoV-2 S1 receptor-binding domain and nucleocapsid antigens using 15-mer peptide pools or recombinant proteins. Compartment-specific effector cell-mediated cytotoxicity of SARS-CoV-2 Delta pseudovirus by antigen-stimulated effector cells was assessed using a luciferase assay. Cytokine expression was measured by Luminex. Distinct immune profiles were observed across compartments. Macrophages and dendritic cells predominated in BAL, B cells in NL, and T cells and natural killer cells in PBMCs. BAL cells expressed significantly higher IL-1β, while PBMCs showed higher TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-6 expression. Responses did not differ between peptide and protein antigens. Antigen-stimulated PBMC, BAL, and NL cells demonstrated significantly greater pseudovirus cytotoxicity than unstimulated controls ( p < 0.05). This proof-of-concept study establishes a functional human T-cell–mediated SARS-CoV-2 cytotoxic assay in blood and alveolar compartments, providing a platform to study antiviral mucosal immunity relevant to future pandemics.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Michele Tomasicchio"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lynn Semple"
    },
    {
      "name": "Rolanda Londt"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aliasgar Esmail"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lance Lucas"
    },
    {
      "name": "Suzette Oelofse"
    },
    {
      "name": "Anil Pooran"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shameem Jaumdally"
    },
    {
      "name": "Penny Moore"
    },
    {
      "name": "Keertan Dheda"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5m52nps5sasa3.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41598-026-74636-8",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "5m52nps5sasa3",
  "issns": [
    "2045-2322"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74636-8",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2725|SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222792540",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74636-8_reference.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-17",
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5m52nps5sasa3.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
      "native_id": "10.1038/s41598-026-74636-8",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74636-8"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2725|SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research",
      "subfield": "infectious-disease"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Development of a human respiratory tract effector cell-mediated antiviral assay using blood and airway immune cells from individuals previously hospitalised with COVID-19",
  "title_text": "Development of a human respiratory tract effector cell-mediated antiviral assay using blood and airway immune cells from individuals previously hospitalised with COVID-19",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5m52nps5sasa3",
  "venue": "Scientific Reports",
  "versions": []
}