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La Rosa C, Chiuppesi F, Park Y, Zhou Q, Yang D, Gendzekhadze K, Ly M, Li J, Kaltcheva T, Ortega Francisco S, Gutierrez MA, Ali H, Otoukesh S, Amanam I, Salhotra A, Pullarkat VA, Aldoss I, Rosenzweig M, Aribi AM, Stein AS, Marcucci G, Dadwal SS, Nakamura R, Forman SJ, Al Malki MM, Diamond DJ. Functional SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells of donor origin in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients of a T-cell-replete infusion: A prospective observational study. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1114131. [PMID: 36936918 PMCID: PMC10020189 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1114131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the current post-pandemic era, recipients of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) deserve special attention. In these vulnerable patients, vaccine effectiveness is reduced by post-transplant immune-suppressive therapy; consequently, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19) is often associated with elevated morbidity and mortality. Characterizing SARS-CoV-2 adaptive immunity transfer from immune donors to HCT recipients in the context of immunosuppression will help identify optimal timing and vaccination strategies that can provide adequate protection to HCT recipients against infection with evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants. We performed a prospective observational study (NCT04666025 at ClinicalTrials.gov) to longitudinally monitor the transfer of SARS-CoV-2-specific antiviral immunity from HCT donors, who were either vaccinated or had a history of COVID-19, to their recipients via T-cell replete graft. Levels, function, and quality of SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses were longitudinally analyzed up to 6 months post-HCT in 14 matched unrelated donor/recipients and four haploidentical donor/recipient pairs. A markedly skewed donor-derived SARS-CoV-2 CD4 T-cell response was measurable in 15 (83%) recipients. It showed a polarized Th1 functional profile, with the prevalence of central memory phenotype subsets. SARS-CoV-2-specific IFN-γ was detectable throughout the observation period, including early post-transplant (day +30). Functionally experienced SARS-CoV-2 Th1-type T cells promptly expanded in two recipients at the time of post-HCT vaccination and in two others who were infected and survived post-transplant COVID-19 infection. Our data suggest that donor-derived SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses are functional in immunosuppressed recipients and may play a critical role in post-HCT vaccine response and protection from the fatal disease. Clinical trial registration clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04666025.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna La Rosa
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Flavia Chiuppesi
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Yoonsuh Park
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Qiao Zhou
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Dongyun Yang
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Ketevan Gendzekhadze
- Histocompatibility Laboratory, Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Minh Ly
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Teodora Kaltcheva
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Sandra Ortega Francisco
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Miguel-Angel Gutierrez
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Haris Ali
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Salman Otoukesh
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Idoroenyi Amanam
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Amandeep Salhotra
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Vinod A. Pullarkat
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Ibrahim Aldoss
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Michael Rosenzweig
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Ahmed M. Aribi
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Anthony S. Stein
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Guido Marcucci
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | | | - Ryotaro Nakamura
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Stephen J. Forman
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Monzr M. Al Malki
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Don J. Diamond
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
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Kim K, Narasimhan M, Mahimainathan L, Zhang R, Araj E, Kim E, Tharpe W, Greenberg BM, Greenberg DE, Li QZ, Cheng CA, Sarode R, Malladi S, Muthukumar A. Translation suppression underlies the restrained COVID-19 mRNA vaccine response in the high-risk immunocompromised group. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1020165. [DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1020165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundImmunocompromised (IC) patients show diminished immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (Co-mV). To date, there is no ‘empirical’ evidence to link the perturbation of translation, a rate-limiting step for mRNA vaccine efficiency (VE), to the dampened response of Co-mV.Materials and methodsImpact of immunosuppressants (ISs), tacrolimus (T), mycophenolate (M), rapamycin/sirolimus (S), and their combinations on Pfizer Co-mV translation were determined by the Spike (Sp) protein expression following Co-mV transfection in HEK293 cells. In vivo impact of ISs on SARS-CoV-2 spike specific antigen (SpAg) and associated antibody levels (IgGSp) in serum were assessed in Balb/c mice after two doses (2D) of the Pfizer vaccine. Spike Ag and IgGSp levels were assessed in 259 IC patients and 50 healthy controls (HC) who received 2D of Pfizer or Moderna Co-mV as well as in 67 immunosuppressed solid organ transplant (SOT) patients and 843 non-transplanted (NT) subjects following three doses (3D) of Co-mV. Higher Co-mV concentrations and transient drug holidays were evaluated.ResultsWe observed significantly lower IgGSP response in IC patients (p<0.0001) compared to their matched controls in 2D and 3D Co-mV groups. IC patients on M or S showed a profound dampening of IgGSP response relative to those that were not on these drugs. M and S, when used individually or in combination, significantly attenuated the Co-mV-induced Sp expression, whereas T did not exert significant influence. Sirolimus combo pretreatment in vivo significantly attenuated the Co-mV induced IgMSp and IgGSp production, which correlated with a decreasing trend in the early levels (after day 1) of Co-mV induced Sp immunogen levels. Neither higher Co-mV concentrations (6μg) nor withholding S for 1-day could overcome the inhibition of Sp protein levels. Interestingly, 3-days S holiday or using T alone rescued Sp levels in vitro.ConclusionsThis is the first study to demonstrate that ISs, sirolimus and mycophenolate inhibited Co-mV-induced Sp protein synthesis via translation repression. Selective use of tacrolimus or drug holiday of sirolimus can be a potential means to rescue translation-dependent Sp protein production. These findings lay a strong foundation for guiding future studies aimed at improving Co-mV responses in high-risk IC patients.
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Riccardi N, Falcone M, Yahav D. Vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 in Hematological Patients. Acta Haematol 2022; 145:257-266. [PMID: 35220303 PMCID: PMC9059057 DOI: 10.1159/000523753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Patients with specific hematological malignancies (HM) are at increased risk for severe disease and death from infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In healthy subjects, vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated to be highly effective in disease prevention; however, immunocompromised patients were largely excluded from vaccine randomized controlled trials. In this review, we overview available non-randomized studies addressing effectiveness and safety of several coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in patients with HM. Overall, COVID-19 vaccines are safe in patients with HM, with adverse events similar to those in the general population. Though serology testing is not recommended as a test to evaluate vaccine effectiveness, a correlation between higher antibody levels and protection against infection has been reported. Studies evaluating humoral response to COVID-19 vaccine in HM patients demonstrate low immunogenicity, mainly in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, as well as with certain drugs, including mainly anti-CD20 antibodies, Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and also ruxolitinib and venetoclax. Seropositivity rates of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia following mRNA vaccination reach 40%-50%. T-cell responses to vaccination are also impaired among these patients. Better humoral response rates are reported in multiple myeloma patients and hematopoietic stem-cell transplant, reaching ∼75%-80%, but not in patients following chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and myeloproliferative diseases have high response rate to vaccination. Third mRNA vaccine dose is currently recommended to all HM patients. Alternative approaches for vaccination and prevention in patients unable to mount an immune response following full vaccination are provided in the review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Riccardi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Falcone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Dafna Yahav
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
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