tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Front Immunol
. 2022 Jun 27;13:868361.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.868361. eCollection 2022.
Immune Responses Against SARS-CoV-2 WT and Delta Variant in Elderly BNT162b2 Vaccinees
Michael Jäger[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sissy Therese Sonnleitner[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Stefanie Dichtl[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eliott Lafon[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gabriel Diem[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gernot Walder[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Cornelia Lass-Flörl[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Doris Wilflingseder[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wilfried Posch[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Residents of nursing homes are one of the most vulnerable groups during the severe acute syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. The aim of this study was to characterize cellular and humoral immune responses in >70-year-old participants before vaccination, after first and second vaccination with BNT162b2, in contrast to second-dose-vaccinated participants younger than 60 years.
Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 45 elderly and 40 younger vaccinees were analyzed by IFNγ ELISpot, specific immunoglobulin G antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and neutralization abilities against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (WT) and Delta variant (B.1.617.2).
Results: Our results clearly demonstrate a significantly increased T cell response, IgG titers, and neutralization activities against SARS-CoV-2 WT and Delta between first and second vaccination with BNT162b2 in elderly vaccinees, thereby highlighting the importance of the second booster. Interestingly, similar cellular and humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 WT and Delta were found after the second vaccine dose in the young and elderly groups.
Conclusions: Our data demonstrate a full picture of cellular and humoral immune responses of BNT162b2-vaccinees in two age cohorts. In all vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 WT-specific antibodies with similar neutralizing activity were detected in all vaccinees. After the second vaccination, neutralization titers against SARS-CoV-2 Delta were impaired in both age groups compared with SARS-CoV-2 WT, thereby emphasizing the need for an additional booster to overcome rising variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Keywords: Age-dependent immune responses after BNT162b2; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 vaccination; T cell immunity; neutralizing antibodies; variants of concern (VOCs); virus neutralization.
. 2022 Jun 27;13:868361.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.868361. eCollection 2022.
Immune Responses Against SARS-CoV-2 WT and Delta Variant in Elderly BNT162b2 Vaccinees
Michael Jäger[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sissy Therese Sonnleitner[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Stefanie Dichtl[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eliott Lafon[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gabriel Diem[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gernot Walder[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Cornelia Lass-Flörl[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Doris Wilflingseder[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wilfried Posch[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35833113
- PMCID: PMC9271971
- DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.868361
Abstract
Background: Residents of nursing homes are one of the most vulnerable groups during the severe acute syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. The aim of this study was to characterize cellular and humoral immune responses in >70-year-old participants before vaccination, after first and second vaccination with BNT162b2, in contrast to second-dose-vaccinated participants younger than 60 years.
Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 45 elderly and 40 younger vaccinees were analyzed by IFNγ ELISpot, specific immunoglobulin G antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and neutralization abilities against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (WT) and Delta variant (B.1.617.2).
Results: Our results clearly demonstrate a significantly increased T cell response, IgG titers, and neutralization activities against SARS-CoV-2 WT and Delta between first and second vaccination with BNT162b2 in elderly vaccinees, thereby highlighting the importance of the second booster. Interestingly, similar cellular and humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 WT and Delta were found after the second vaccine dose in the young and elderly groups.
Conclusions: Our data demonstrate a full picture of cellular and humoral immune responses of BNT162b2-vaccinees in two age cohorts. In all vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 WT-specific antibodies with similar neutralizing activity were detected in all vaccinees. After the second vaccination, neutralization titers against SARS-CoV-2 Delta were impaired in both age groups compared with SARS-CoV-2 WT, thereby emphasizing the need for an additional booster to overcome rising variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Keywords: Age-dependent immune responses after BNT162b2; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 vaccination; T cell immunity; neutralizing antibodies; variants of concern (VOCs); virus neutralization.