{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "34832c01dbff4e7394549cc3c1f7bc36", "timestamp": "2026-05-15T02:02:04.539Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/34832c01dbff4e7394549cc3c1f7bc36.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/34832c01dbff4e7394549cc3c1f7bc36"}}, "title": "An evaluation of a FluoroSpot assay as a diagnostic tool to determine SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell responses.", "authors": [{"family": "Mangsbo", "given": "Sara M", "initials": "SM", "orcid": "0000-0002-1355-2678", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/c743bbcad6554f049c8fc5f64a6801bc.json"}}, {"family": "Havervall", "given": "Sebastian", "initials": "S"}, {"family": "Laur\u00e9n", "given": "Ida", "initials": "I"}, {"family": "Lindsay", "given": "Robin", "initials": "R", "orcid": "0000-0001-7867-8653", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/c0be8216b4c14ad4a02ef037a61a32b3.json"}}, {"family": "Jernbom Falk", "given": "August", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0002-7773-1851", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/fe6400bde68b46899515cef5bea05fca.json"}}, {"family": "Marking", "given": "Ulrika", "initials": "U"}, {"family": "Lord", "given": "Martin", "initials": "M", "orcid": "0000-0002-3238-3187", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/3e14847c142f4c359f2d531601436897.json"}}, {"family": "Buggert", "given": "Marcus", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "D\u00f6nnes", "given": "Pierre", "initials": "P"}, {"family": "Christoffersson", "given": "Gustaf", "initials": "G"}, {"family": "Nilsson", "given": "Peter", "initials": "P"}, {"family": "Hober", "given": "Sophia", "initials": "S", "orcid": "0000-0003-0605-8417", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/f8dd8ee4264d4e4b912dacad3106f40a.json"}}, {"family": "Phillipson", "given": "Mia", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Klingstr\u00f6m", "given": "Jonas", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "Th\u00e5lin", "given": "Charlotte", "initials": "C"}], "type": "evaluation study", "published": "2021-09-30", "journal": {"title": "PLoS ONE", "issn": "1932-6203", "volume": "16", "issue": "9", "pages": "e0258041", "issn-l": "1932-6203"}, "abstract": "Numerous assays evaluating serological and cellular responses have been developed to characterize immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. Serological assays are both cost- and time-effective compared to cellular assays, but cellular immune responses may provide a diagnostic value to determine previous SARS-CoV-2 infection in seronegative individuals. However, potential cross-reactive T cell responses stemming from prior encounters with human coronaviruses (HCoVs) may affect assay specificity. In this study, we evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of a SARS-CoV-2 IFN-\u03b3 Release Assay (IGRA) based on the FluoroSpot method employing commercially available SARS-CoV-2-specific peptide pools, as well as an in-house designed SARS-CoV-2 peptide pool restricted to 5 amino acid stretches or less aligning with endemic HCoVs. Blood samples were obtained from healthcare workers (HCW) 5-6 months post SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) IgG and nucleocapsid (N) IgG dual seroconversion (n = 187) and HCW who had been S IgG and N IgG dual seronegative at repeated occasions, including the current sampling time point (n = 102). In addition, samples were obtained 4 to 5 months post infection from 55 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 patients. Assay specificity and sensitivity were calculated with serology as a reference standard for HCW. The in-house generated peptide pool displayed a specificity of 96.1%, while the commercially available peptide pools displayed specificities of 80.4% and 85.3%, respectively. Sensitivity was higher in a cohort of previously hospitalized COVID-19 patients (96.4% and 84.0% for the commercially available peptide pools and 92.7% for the in-house generated peptide pool) compared to the HCW cohort (92.0% and 66.8% for the commercially available peptide pools and 76.0% for the in-house generated peptide pool). Based on these findings, the individual diagnostic value of T cell immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 currently appears to be limited but remain an important research tool ahead.", "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0258041", "pmid": "34591918", "labels": {"Autoimmunity and Serology Profiling": "Technology development"}, "xrefs": [{"db": "pii", "key": "PONE-D-21-19070"}, {"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC8483319"}], "notes": [], "created": "2021-11-09T06:21:46.471Z", "modified": "2021-11-10T12:21:51.168Z"}