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Ko GY, Lee J, Bae H, Ryu JH, Park HS, Kang H, Jung J, Choi AR, Lee R, Lee DG, Oh EJ. Longitudinal Analysis of SARS-CoV-2-Specific Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses and Breakthrough Infection following BNT162b2/BNT162b2/BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1/ChAdOx1/BNT162b2 Vaccination: A Prospective Cohort in Naive Healthcare Workers. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1613. [PMID: 37897015 PMCID: PMC10610978 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11101613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing immune responses post-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is crucial for optimizing vaccine strategies. This prospective study aims to evaluate immune responses and breakthrough infection in 235 infection-naïve healthcare workers up to 13-15 months after initial vaccination in two vaccine groups (108 BNT/BNT/BNT and 127 ChAd/ChAd/BNT). Immune responses were assessed using the interferon-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay, total immunoglobulin, and neutralizing activity through surrogate virus neutralization test at nine different time points. Both groups exhibited peak responses one to two months after the second or third dose, followed by gradual declines over six months. Notably, the ChAd group exhibited a gradual increase in ELISPOT results, but their antibody levels declined more rapidly after reaching peak response compared to the BNT group. Six months after the third dose, both groups had substantial cellular responses, with superior humoral responses in the BNT group (p < 0.05). As many as 55 breakthrough infection participants displayed higher neutralization activities against Omicron variants, but similar cellular responses compared to 127 infection-naïve individuals, suggesting cross-immunity. Distinct neutralization classifications (<30%, >80% inhibition) correlated with different ELISPOT results. Our study reveals diverse immune response patterns based on vaccine strategies and breakthrough infections, emphasizing the importance of understanding these dynamics for optimized vaccination decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geon Young Ko
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (G.Y.K.); (J.L.); (H.B.)
| | - Jihyun Lee
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (G.Y.K.); (J.L.); (H.B.)
| | - Hyunjoo Bae
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (G.Y.K.); (J.L.); (H.B.)
| | - Ji Hyeong Ryu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (J.H.R.); (H.-S.P.); (H.K.); (J.J.); (A.-R.C.)
| | - Hye-Sun Park
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (J.H.R.); (H.-S.P.); (H.K.); (J.J.); (A.-R.C.)
| | - Hyunhye Kang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (J.H.R.); (H.-S.P.); (H.K.); (J.J.); (A.-R.C.)
- Resesarch and Development Institute for In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Jung
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (J.H.R.); (H.-S.P.); (H.K.); (J.J.); (A.-R.C.)
- Resesarch and Development Institute for In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Ae-Ran Choi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (J.H.R.); (H.-S.P.); (H.K.); (J.J.); (A.-R.C.)
| | - Raeseok Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (R.L.); (D.-G.L.)
- Vaccine Bio Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Gun Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (R.L.); (D.-G.L.)
- Vaccine Bio Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Jee Oh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (J.H.R.); (H.-S.P.); (H.K.); (J.J.); (A.-R.C.)
- Resesarch and Development Institute for In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
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Hermens JM, Kesmir C. Role of T cells in severe COVID-19 disease, protection, and long term immunity. Immunogenetics 2023; 75:295-307. [PMID: 36752852 PMCID: PMC9905767 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-023-01294-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Infection with SARS-CoV-2 causes wide range of disease severities from asymptomatic to life-threatening disease. Understanding the contribution of immunological traits in immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and in protection against severe COVID-19 could result in effective measures to prevent development of severe disease. While the role of cytokines and antibodies has been thoroughly studied, this is not the case for T cells. In this review, the association between T cells and COVID-19 disease severity and protection upon reexposure is discussed. While infiltration of overactivated cytotoxic T cells might be harmful in the infected tissue, fast responding T cells are important in the protection against severe COVID-19. This protection could even be viable in the long term as long-living memory T cells seem to be stabilized and mutations do not appear to have a large impact on T cell responses. Thus, after vaccination and infections, memory T cells should be able to help prevent onset of severe disease for most cases. Considering this, it would be useful to add N or M proteins in vaccinations, alongside the S protein which is currently used, as this results in a broader T cell response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Maret Hermens
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Biology Department, Science Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Can Kesmir
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Biology Department, Science Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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Shesternya PA, Savchenko AA, Gritsenko OD, Vasileva AO, Kudryavtsev IV, Masterova AA, Isakov DV, Borisov AG. Features of Peripheral Blood Th-Cell Subset Composition and Serum Cytokine Level in Patients with Activity-Driven Ankylosing Spondylitis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15111370. [PMID: 36355542 PMCID: PMC9695783 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Th cells may exhibit pathological activity depending on the regulatory and functional signals sensed under a wide range of immunopathological conditions, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The relationship between Th cells and cytokines is important for diagnoses and for determining treatment. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Th-cell subset composition and serum cytokine profile for patients with activity-driven AS. In our study, patients were divided into two groups according to disease activity: low-activity AS (ASDAS-CRP < 2.1) and high-activity AS (ASDAS-CRP > 2.1). The peripheral blood Th cell subset composition was studied by flow cytometry. Using multiplex analysis, serum cytokine levels were quantified and investigated. It was found that only patients with high-activity AS had reduced central memory (CM) Th1 cells (p = 0.035) but elevated numbers of CM (p = 0.014) and effector memory (EM) Th2 cells (p < 0.001). However, no activity-driven change in the Th17 cell subset composition was observed in AS patients. Moreover, low-AS activity patients had increased numbers of Tfh17 EM cells (p < 0.001), whereas high-AS activity was associated with elevated Tfh2 EM level (p = 0.031). The serum cytokine profiles in AS patients demonstrated that cues stimulating cellular immunity were increased, but patients with high-AS activity reveled increased IL-5 level (p = 0.017). Analyzing the data obtained from AS patients allowed us to conclude that Th cell subset differentiation was mainly affected during the CM stage and characterized the IL-23/IL-17 regulatory axis, whereas increased humoral immunity was observed in the high-AS activity group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel A. Shesternya
- Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
- Correspondence:
| | - Andrei A. Savchenko
- Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
- Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center”, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Olga D. Gritsenko
- Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Alexandra O. Vasileva
- Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | | | - Alena A. Masterova
- Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center”, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Dmitry V. Isakov
- Academician I.P. Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare, 197022 St. Peterburg, Russia
| | - Alexandr G. Borisov
- Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center”, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
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Meisinger C, Goßlau Y, Warm TD, Leone V, Hyhlik-Dürr A, Linseisen J, Kirchberger I. Post-COVID-19 Fatigue and SARS-CoV-2 Specific Humoral and T-Cell Responses in Male and Female Outpatients. Front Immunol 2022; 13:902140. [PMID: 35693828 PMCID: PMC9178094 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.902140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundInformation on the clinical characteristics and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying post-COVID-19 fatigue are scarce. The main objective of this study was to evaluate sex-specific humoral and T-cell responses associated with post-COVID-19 fatigue in a sample of individuals treated as outpatients.MethodsAt a median time of 279 (179;325) days after the acute infection, a total of 281 individuals (45.9% men) aged 18-87 years old were included in the analysis. The participants were examined at the University Hospital of Augsburg, Southern Germany. Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS). Levels of anti-SARS-CoV2-spike IgG antibodies were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and for exploration of the SARS-CoV2-specific T-cell response, ex vivo ELISpot/FLUOROspot assays were conducted using an interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) SARS-CoV-iSpot kit.ResultsWomen more significantly suffered from post-COVID-19 fatigue in comparison to men (47.4% versus 25.6%, p=0.0002). Females but not males with fatigue showed a significantly lower number of T-cells producing IFN-γ, IL-2 or both IL-2 and IFNγ in comparison with females without fatigue. In both sexes, serum levels of anti-SARS-CoV2-spike IgG antibodies did not differ significantly between participants with or without fatigue.ConclusionsDevelopment of fatigue after acute COVID-19 disease might be associated with SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses in women, but not men after a mild infection course treated outpatient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa Meisinger
- Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Christa Meisinger, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-9026-6544
| | - Yvonne Goßlau
- Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Tobias D. Warm
- Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Vincenza Leone
- Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | | | - Jakob Linseisen
- Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology (IBE), Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Inge Kirchberger
- Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology (IBE), Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
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Sonnleitner ST, Prelog M, Sonnleitner S, Hinterbichler E, Halbfurter H, Kopecky DBC, Almanzar G, Koblmüller S, Sturmbauer C, Feist L, Horres R, Posch W, Walder G. Cumulative SARS-CoV-2 mutations and corresponding changes in immunity in an immunocompromised patient indicate viral evolution within the host. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2560. [PMID: 35538074 PMCID: PMC9090742 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30163-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Different scenarios explaining the emergence of novel variants of concern (VOC) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been reported, including their evolution in scarcely monitored populations, in animals as alternative hosts, or in immunocompromised individuals. Here we report SARS-CoV-2 immune escape mutations over a period of seven months in an immunocompromised patient with prolonged viral shedding. Signs of infection, viral shedding and mutation events are periodically analyzed using RT-PCR and next-generation sequencing based on naso-pharyngeal swabs, with the results complemented by immunological diagnostics to determine humoral and T cell immune responses. Throughout the infection course, 17 non-synonymous intra-host mutations are noted, with 15 (88.2%) having been previously described as prominent immune escape mutations (S:E484K, S:D950N, S:P681H, S:N501Y, S:del(9), N:S235F and S:H655Y) in VOCs. The high frequency of these non-synonymous mutations is consistent with multiple events of convergent evolution. Thus, our results suggest that specific mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome may represent positions with a fitness advantage, and may serve as targets in future vaccine and therapeutics development for COVID-19. Variants of concerns arise from SARS-CoV-2 mutations poise as severe public health threats. Here the authors chronicle SARS-CoV-2 mutations onset and immune parameters in an immunocompromised patient with continuous virus-shedding, thereby hinting potential intra-host viral evolution and escape facilitated by ineffective T cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sissy Therese Sonnleitner
- Infektiologie Tirol, Department of Virology, 9931, Unterwalden 30, Außervillgraten, Austria. .,Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Martina Prelog
- Pediatric Rheumatology/Special Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Sonnleitner
- Infektiologie Tirol, Department of Virology, 9931, Unterwalden 30, Außervillgraten, Austria
| | - Eva Hinterbichler
- Infektiologie Tirol, Department of Virology, 9931, Unterwalden 30, Außervillgraten, Austria
| | - Hannah Halbfurter
- Infektiologie Tirol, Department of Virology, 9931, Unterwalden 30, Außervillgraten, Austria
| | - Dominik B C Kopecky
- Infektiologie Tirol, Department of Virology, 9931, Unterwalden 30, Außervillgraten, Austria
| | - Giovanni Almanzar
- Pediatric Rheumatology/Special Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Koblmüller
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Christian Sturmbauer
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Leonard Feist
- GenXPro GmbH, Altenhoeferallee 3, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ralf Horres
- GenXPro GmbH, Altenhoeferallee 3, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Wilfried Posch
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gernot Walder
- Infektiologie Tirol, Department of Virology, 9931, Unterwalden 30, Außervillgraten, Austria
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Kudlay D, Kofiadi I, Khaitov M. Peculiarities of the T Cell Immune Response in COVID-19. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:242. [PMID: 35214700 PMCID: PMC8877307 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 is critical to vaccine development, epidemiological surveillance, and control strategies for this disease. This review provides data from studies of the immune response in coronavirus infections. It describes general mechanisms of immunity, its T cell components, and presents a detailed scheme of the T cell response in SARS-CoV-2 infection, including from the standpoint of determining the most promising targets for assessing its level. In addition, we reviewed studies investigating post-vaccination immunity in the development of vaccines against COVID-19. This review also includes the peculiarities of immunity in different age and gender groups, and in the presence of a number of factors, for example, comorbidity or disease severity. This study summarizes the most informative methods for assessing the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kudlay
- NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, 115522 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Pharmacology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilya Kofiadi
- NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, 115522 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Immunology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Musa Khaitov
- NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, 115522 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Immunology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
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