tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Am Med Dir Assoc
. 2022 Dec 7;S1525-8610(22)00921-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.11.024. Online ahead of print.
T-Cell Mediated Response After Primary and Booster SARS-CoV-2 Messenger RNA Vaccination in Nursing Home Residents
Ilaria Schiavoni[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Annapina Palmieri[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eleonora Olivetta[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Pasqualina Leone[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anna Di Lonardo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alessandra Mazzoli[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Carmine Cafariello[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Alba Malara[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Anna Teresa Palamara[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Raffaele Antonelli Incalzi[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Graziano Onder[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paola Stefanelli[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Giorgio Fedele[SUP] 7 [/SUP]; GeroCovid Vax CMI Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Abstract
Objectives: Nursing home (NH) residents have been significantly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Studies addressing the immune responses induced by COVID-19 vaccines in NH residents have documented a good postvaccination antibody response and the beneficial effect of a third booster vaccine dose. Less is known about vaccine-induced activation of cell-mediated immune response in frail older individuals in the long term. The aim of the present study is to monitor messenger RNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced T-cell responses in a sample of Italian NH residents who received primary vaccine series and a third booster dose and to assess the interaction between T-cell responses and humoral immunity.
Design: Longitudinal cohort study.
Setting and participants: Thirty-four residents vaccinated with BNT162b2 messenger RNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine between February and April 2021 and who received a third BNT162b2 booster dose between October and November 2021 were assessed for vaccine-induced immunity 6 (prebooster) and 12 (postbooster) months after the first BNT162b2 vaccine dose.
Methods: Pre- and postbooster cell-mediated immunity was assessed at by intracellular cytokine staining of peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated in vitro with peptides covering the immunodominant sequence of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The simultaneous production of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-2 was measured. Humoral immunity was assessed in parallel by measuring serum concentration of antitrimeric spike IgG antibodies.
Results: Before the booster vaccination, 31 out of 34 NH residents had a positive cell-mediated immunity response to spike. Postbooster, 28 out of 34 had a positive response. Residents without a previous history of SARS-CoV-2 infection who had a lower response prior the booster administration, showed a greater increase of T-cell responses after the vaccine booster dose humoral and cell-mediated immunity were, in part, correlated but only before booster vaccine administration.
Conclusions and implications: The administration of the booster vaccine dose restored spike-specific T-cell responses in SARS-CoV-2 naïve residents who responded poorly to the first immunization, while a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection had an impact on the magnitude of vaccine-induced cell-mediated immunity at earlier time points. Our findings imply the need for a continuous monitoring of the immune status of frail NH residents to adapt future SARS-CoV-2 vaccination strategies.
Keywords: COVID-19 vaccines; SARS-CoV-2; cell-mediated immunity; nursing homes; vaccine booster.
. 2022 Dec 7;S1525-8610(22)00921-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.11.024. Online ahead of print.
T-Cell Mediated Response After Primary and Booster SARS-CoV-2 Messenger RNA Vaccination in Nursing Home Residents
Ilaria Schiavoni[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Annapina Palmieri[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eleonora Olivetta[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Pasqualina Leone[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anna Di Lonardo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alessandra Mazzoli[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Carmine Cafariello[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Alba Malara[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Anna Teresa Palamara[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Raffaele Antonelli Incalzi[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Graziano Onder[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paola Stefanelli[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Giorgio Fedele[SUP] 7 [/SUP]; GeroCovid Vax CMI Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations
- PMID: 36587928
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.11.024
Abstract
Objectives: Nursing home (NH) residents have been significantly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Studies addressing the immune responses induced by COVID-19 vaccines in NH residents have documented a good postvaccination antibody response and the beneficial effect of a third booster vaccine dose. Less is known about vaccine-induced activation of cell-mediated immune response in frail older individuals in the long term. The aim of the present study is to monitor messenger RNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced T-cell responses in a sample of Italian NH residents who received primary vaccine series and a third booster dose and to assess the interaction between T-cell responses and humoral immunity.
Design: Longitudinal cohort study.
Setting and participants: Thirty-four residents vaccinated with BNT162b2 messenger RNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine between February and April 2021 and who received a third BNT162b2 booster dose between October and November 2021 were assessed for vaccine-induced immunity 6 (prebooster) and 12 (postbooster) months after the first BNT162b2 vaccine dose.
Methods: Pre- and postbooster cell-mediated immunity was assessed at by intracellular cytokine staining of peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated in vitro with peptides covering the immunodominant sequence of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The simultaneous production of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-2 was measured. Humoral immunity was assessed in parallel by measuring serum concentration of antitrimeric spike IgG antibodies.
Results: Before the booster vaccination, 31 out of 34 NH residents had a positive cell-mediated immunity response to spike. Postbooster, 28 out of 34 had a positive response. Residents without a previous history of SARS-CoV-2 infection who had a lower response prior the booster administration, showed a greater increase of T-cell responses after the vaccine booster dose humoral and cell-mediated immunity were, in part, correlated but only before booster vaccine administration.
Conclusions and implications: The administration of the booster vaccine dose restored spike-specific T-cell responses in SARS-CoV-2 naïve residents who responded poorly to the first immunization, while a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection had an impact on the magnitude of vaccine-induced cell-mediated immunity at earlier time points. Our findings imply the need for a continuous monitoring of the immune status of frail NH residents to adapt future SARS-CoV-2 vaccination strategies.
Keywords: COVID-19 vaccines; SARS-CoV-2; cell-mediated immunity; nursing homes; vaccine booster.