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We would like to thank the donors for their blood donation and the CRIS Cancer Foundation (http://criscancer.org) and the Government of Valencia AVI-GVA COVID-19-68 for their support.

Analysis of institutional authors

Ferreras, CAuthorPerez-Martinez, ACorresponding Author

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April 5, 2021
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SARS-CoV-2-Specific Memory T Lymphocytes From COVID-19 Convalescent Donors: Identification, Biobanking, and Large-Scale Production for Adoptive Cell Therapy

Publicated to:Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 9 (620730): 620730- - 2021-02-25 9(620730), DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.620730

Authors: Ferreras, C.; Pascual-Miguel, B.; Mestre-Duran, C.; Navarro-Zapata, A.; Clares-Villa, L.; Martin-Cortazar, C.; De Paz, R.; Marcos, A.; Vicario, J. L.; Balas, A.; Garcia-Sanchez, F.; Eguizabal, C.; Solano, C.; Mora-Rillo, M.; Soria, B.; Perez-Martinez, A.;

Affiliations

‎ Basque Ctr Blood Transfus & Human Tissues, Res Unit, Osakidetza, Galdakao, Spain - Author
‎ Biocruces Bizkaia Hlth Res Inst, Cell Therapy Stem Cells & Tissues Grp, Baracaldo, Spain - Author
‎ Ctr Transfus Madrid, Histocompatbil, Madrid, Spain - Author
‎ Inst Invest Sanit Hosp Gen & Univ Alicante ISABIA, Alicante, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Autonoma Madrid, Fac Med, Madrid, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Hosp La Paz, Hematol Dept, Madrid, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Hosp La Paz, IdiPAZ, Hosp La Paz Inst Hlth Res, Internal Med Dept,Infect Dis Unit, Madrid, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Hosp La Paz, IdiPAZ, Hosp La Paz Inst Hlth Res, Madrid, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Hosp La Paz, Pediat Hematooncol Dept, Madrid, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Miguel Hernandez Elche, Inst Bioingn, Alicante, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Valencia, Inst Invest Sanitaria INCLIVA, Hosp Clin Univ Valencia, Valencia, Spain - Author
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Abstract

Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is causing a second outbreak significantly delaying the hope for the virus' complete eradication. In the absence of effective vaccines, we need effective treatments with low adverse effects that can treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19 disease. In this study, we determined the existence of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells within CD45RA(-) memory T cells in the blood of convalescent donors. Memory T cells can respond quickly to infection and provide long-term immune protection to reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Also, CD45RA(-) memory T cells confer protection from other pathogens encountered by the donors throughout their life. It is of vital importance to resolve other secondary infections that usually develop in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. We found SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cells in all of the CD45RA(-) subsets (CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+)) and in the central memory and effector memory subpopulations. The procedure for obtaining these cells is feasible, easy to implement for small-scale manufacture, quick and cost-effective, involves minimal manipulation, and has no GMP requirements. This biobank of specific SARS-CoV-2 memory T cells would be immediately available off-the-shelf to treat moderate/severe cases of COVID-19, thereby increasing the therapeutic options available for these patients.

Keywords

adoptive cell therapy (act)biobankcovid-19lymphopeniaAdoptive cell therapy (act)BiobankCovid-19InfectionsLymphopeniaMemory t cells (tmem)NaiveResponsesSars coronavirus

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2021, it was in position 6/39, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Developmental Biology.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 2.36. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 2.89 (source consulted: FECYT Feb 2024)
  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 9.44 (source consulted: Dimensions Jul 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-07-16, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 33
  • Scopus: 37
  • Europe PMC: 30

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-16:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 98.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 102 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 20.55.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 16 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 1 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (FERRERAS PUENTE, CRISTINA) and Last Author (PEREZ MARTINEZ, ANTONIO).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been PEREZ MARTINEZ, ANTONIO.