T cells and their subsets in children with COVID-19

Abstract

T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 are key to the activation of viral immunity. Evidence supports the strong role of T cell responses in eliminating the disease in adults. However, in pediatric cases of COVID-19, the extent to which T cell responses influence disease dynamics is the subject of considerable debate. Limited studies in pediatric COVID-19 cases suggest that T cell activation is at a lower level. Pediatric COVID-19 T cell responses may play a role in elucidating the background of the usually mild and asymptomatic manifestation of COVID-19 cases in children or the development of MIS-C. In this chapter we aim to present a perspective on T cells with current studies on T cell responses to pediatric cases of COVID-19. Understanding T cell responses in pediatric patients will provide a major advantage for diagnosis and treatment, especially in more aggressive pathologic conditions such as MIS-C and Kawasaki disease.