Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria

Kesego Tapela; Diana Ahu Prah; Becky Tetteh; Franklin Nuokpem; Daniel Dosoo; Amin Coker; Frederick Kumi-Ansah; Emmanuella Amoako; Kissi Ohene Assah; Charlyne Kilba; Nancy Nyakoe; Darius Quansah; Sylvester Languon; Claudia Adzo Anyigba; Felix Ansah; Seth Agyeman; Irene Amoakoh Owusu; Kristan Schneider; William K. Ampofo; Joe Kimanthi Mutungi; Gloria Amegatcher; Yaw Aniweh; Gordon A. Awandare; Peter K. Quashie; Yaw Bediako

doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533

Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria

Kesego Tapela, Diana Ahu Prah, Becky Tetteh, Franklin Nuokpem, Daniel Dosoo, Amin Coker, Frederick Kumi-Ansah, Emmanuella Amoako, Kissi Ohene Assah, Charlyne Kilba, Nancy Nyakoe, Darius Quansah, Sylvester Languon, Claudia Adzo Anyigba, Felix Ansah, Seth Agyeman, Irene Amoakoh Owusu, Kristan Schneider, William K. Ampofo, Joe Kimanthi MutungiGloria Amegatcher, Yaw Aniweh, Gordon A. Awandare, Peter K. Quashie, Yaw Bediako

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Ghana and other parts of West Africa have experienced lower COVID-19 mortality rates than other regions. This phenomenon has been hypothesized to be associated with previous exposure to infections such as malaria. This study investigated the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the influence of previous malaria exposure. Blood samples were collected from individuals with asymptomatic or symptomatic COVID-19 (n = 217). A variety of assays were used to characterize the SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response, and malaria exposure was quantified using Plasmodium falciparum ELISA. The study found evidence of attenuated immune responses to COVID-19 among asymptomatic individuals, with elevated proportions of non-classical monocytes and greater memory B cell activation. Symptomatic patients displayed higher P. falciparum-specific T cell recall immune responses, whereas asymptomatic individuals demonstrated elevated P. falciparum antibody levels. Summarily, this study suggests that P. falciparum exposure-associated immune modulation may contribute to reduced severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living in malaria-endemic regions.

Original language	English
Article number	114533
Journal	Cell Reports
Volume	43
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533
Publication status	Published - 27 Aug 2024

Keywords

asymptomatic
COVID-19 West Africa
CP: Immunology
CP: Microbiology
Ghana
immune response
immunomodulation
malaria/COVID-19 interplay
P. falciparum
SARS-CoV-2
SARS-CoV-2 severity
symptomatic

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533

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Tapela, K., Prah, D. A., Tetteh, B., Nuokpem, F., Dosoo, D., Coker, A., Kumi-Ansah, F., Amoako, E., Assah, K. O., Kilba, C., Nyakoe, N., Quansah, D., Languon, S., Anyigba, C. A., Ansah, F., Agyeman, S., Owusu, I. A., Schneider, K., Ampofo, W. K., ... Bediako, Y. (2024). Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria. Cell Reports, 43(8), Article 114533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533

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title = "Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria",

abstract = "Ghana and other parts of West Africa have experienced lower COVID-19 mortality rates than other regions. This phenomenon has been hypothesized to be associated with previous exposure to infections such as malaria. This study investigated the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the influence of previous malaria exposure. Blood samples were collected from individuals with asymptomatic or symptomatic COVID-19 (n = 217). A variety of assays were used to characterize the SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response, and malaria exposure was quantified using Plasmodium falciparum ELISA. The study found evidence of attenuated immune responses to COVID-19 among asymptomatic individuals, with elevated proportions of non-classical monocytes and greater memory B cell activation. Symptomatic patients displayed higher P. falciparum-specific T cell recall immune responses, whereas asymptomatic individuals demonstrated elevated P. falciparum antibody levels. Summarily, this study suggests that P. falciparum exposure-associated immune modulation may contribute to reduced severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living in malaria-endemic regions.",

keywords = "asymptomatic, COVID-19 West Africa, CP: Immunology, CP: Microbiology, Ghana, immune response, immunomodulation, malaria/COVID-19 interplay, P. falciparum, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 severity, symptomatic",

author = "Kesego Tapela and Prah, {Diana Ahu} and Becky Tetteh and Franklin Nuokpem and Daniel Dosoo and Amin Coker and Frederick Kumi-Ansah and Emmanuella Amoako and Assah, {Kissi Ohene} and Charlyne Kilba and Nancy Nyakoe and Darius Quansah and Sylvester Languon and Anyigba, {Claudia Adzo} and Felix Ansah and Seth Agyeman and Owusu, {Irene Amoakoh} and Kristan Schneider and Ampofo, {William K.} and Mutungi, {Joe Kimanthi} and Gloria Amegatcher and Yaw Aniweh and Awandare, {Gordon A.} and Quashie, {Peter K.} and Yaw Bediako",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s)",

year = "2024",

month = aug,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533",

language = "English",

volume = "43",

journal = "Cell Reports",

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Tapela, K, Prah, DA, Tetteh, B, Nuokpem, F, Dosoo, D, Coker, A, Kumi-Ansah, F, Amoako, E, Assah, KO, Kilba, C, Nyakoe, N, Quansah, D, Languon, S, Anyigba, CA, Ansah, F, Agyeman, S, Owusu, IA, Schneider, K, Ampofo, WK, Mutungi, JK, Amegatcher, G, Aniweh, Y, Awandare, GA, Quashie, PK & Bediako, Y 2024, 'Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria', Cell Reports, vol. 43, no. 8, 114533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria

AU - Tapela, Kesego

AU - Prah, Diana Ahu

AU - Tetteh, Becky

AU - Nuokpem, Franklin

AU - Dosoo, Daniel

AU - Coker, Amin

AU - Kumi-Ansah, Frederick

AU - Amoako, Emmanuella

AU - Assah, Kissi Ohene

AU - Kilba, Charlyne

AU - Nyakoe, Nancy

AU - Quansah, Darius

AU - Languon, Sylvester

AU - Anyigba, Claudia Adzo

AU - Ansah, Felix

AU - Agyeman, Seth

AU - Owusu, Irene Amoakoh

AU - Schneider, Kristan

AU - Ampofo, William K.

AU - Mutungi, Joe Kimanthi

AU - Amegatcher, Gloria

AU - Aniweh, Yaw

AU - Awandare, Gordon A.

AU - Quashie, Peter K.

AU - Bediako, Yaw

PY - 2024/8/27

Y1 - 2024/8/27

N2 - Ghana and other parts of West Africa have experienced lower COVID-19 mortality rates than other regions. This phenomenon has been hypothesized to be associated with previous exposure to infections such as malaria. This study investigated the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the influence of previous malaria exposure. Blood samples were collected from individuals with asymptomatic or symptomatic COVID-19 (n = 217). A variety of assays were used to characterize the SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response, and malaria exposure was quantified using Plasmodium falciparum ELISA. The study found evidence of attenuated immune responses to COVID-19 among asymptomatic individuals, with elevated proportions of non-classical monocytes and greater memory B cell activation. Symptomatic patients displayed higher P. falciparum-specific T cell recall immune responses, whereas asymptomatic individuals demonstrated elevated P. falciparum antibody levels. Summarily, this study suggests that P. falciparum exposure-associated immune modulation may contribute to reduced severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living in malaria-endemic regions.

AB - Ghana and other parts of West Africa have experienced lower COVID-19 mortality rates than other regions. This phenomenon has been hypothesized to be associated with previous exposure to infections such as malaria. This study investigated the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the influence of previous malaria exposure. Blood samples were collected from individuals with asymptomatic or symptomatic COVID-19 (n = 217). A variety of assays were used to characterize the SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response, and malaria exposure was quantified using Plasmodium falciparum ELISA. The study found evidence of attenuated immune responses to COVID-19 among asymptomatic individuals, with elevated proportions of non-classical monocytes and greater memory B cell activation. Symptomatic patients displayed higher P. falciparum-specific T cell recall immune responses, whereas asymptomatic individuals demonstrated elevated P. falciparum antibody levels. Summarily, this study suggests that P. falciparum exposure-associated immune modulation may contribute to reduced severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living in malaria-endemic regions.

KW - asymptomatic

KW - COVID-19 West Africa

KW - CP: Immunology

KW - CP: Microbiology

KW - Ghana

KW - immune response

KW - immunomodulation

KW - malaria/COVID-19 interplay

KW - P. falciparum

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - SARS-CoV-2 severity

KW - symptomatic

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85199361433&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533

DO - 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85199361433

SN - 2211-1247

VL - 43

JO - Cell Reports

JF - Cell Reports

IS - 8

M1 - 114533

ER -

Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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