Cellular Immunology and COVID-19

Dear Colleagues,

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to spread and cause COVID-19 disease and death. Vaccination is the safest and most effective tool to achieve a protective response in most individuals. Effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been rapidly developed and are being administered with the aim of preventing COVID-19, stopping viral circulation, and terminating the pandemic. Cellular immune responses protect us from re-infection through their synergistic action. Immune cells migrate in response to chemokines to the inflamed tissue and reinforce protection by secreting antibodies locally. The aim of vaccination is to generate long-term immune memory by the pool of memory cells, including T cells, high-affinity memory B cells, and plasma cells, all able to prevent reinfection. Specificity and rapidity of action are the indispensable properties of protective immune memory. Differently from memory T cells, B cells have the ability to improve their specificity by repeated steps of somatic mutation and selection in the germinal centers. If the antibodies produced by MBCs and plasma cells have a high affinity for the pathogen, this is immediately eliminated.

Therefore, this Topical Collection will summarize the latest molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in SARS-Cov-2 short- and long-term protection

We look forward to your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Isabella Quinti
Collection Editor

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