tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
PLoS One
. 2022 Nov 2;17(11):e0276929.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276929. eCollection 2022.
Reduced humoral but stable cellular SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity in liver transplant recipients in the first year after COVID-19
Theresa Kirchner[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sophia Heinrich[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Agnes Bonifacius[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bastian Engel[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Louisa Ruhl[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Isabell Pink[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Nele Thomas[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Joerg Martens[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Marius M Hoeper[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rainer Blasczyk[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Heiner Wedemeyer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Elmar Jaeckel[SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Yang Li[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Christine S Falk[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Britta Eiz-Vesper[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Richard Taubert[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Mortality due to COVID-19 is not increased in immunosuppressed individuals after liver transplantation (OLT) compared to individuals without immunosuppression. Data on long-term protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in immunosuppressed convalescents, is limited. We prospectively measured immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 by quantifying antibodies against 4 different antigens (spike protein 1 and 2, receptor binding domain, nucleocapsid) and T cell responses by IFN-γ ELISPOT against 4 antigens (membrane, nucleocapsid, spike protein 1 and 2) in 24 OLT convalescents with immunosuppressive therapy longitudinally in the first year after COVID-19 including a booster vaccination in comparison to a matched cohort of non-immunosuppressed convalescents (non-IS-Con). Pre-pandemic OLT samples were retrieved from our prospective OLT biorepository (n = 16). No relevant T cell reactivity or immunoglobulin G (IgG) against SARS-CoV-2 were detectable in pre-pandemic samples of OLT recipients despite reactivity against endemic corona-viruses. OLT convalescents had a lower prevalence of IgG against nucleocapsid (54% vs. 90%) but not against spike protein domains (98-100% vs. 100%) after vaccination in the second half-year after COVID-19 compared to non-IS-Con. Also, concentrations of anti-nucleocapsid IgG were lower in OLT convalescents than in non-IS-Con. Concentration of IgG against spike protein domains was significantly increased by a booster vaccination in OLT convalescents. But concentration of IgG against two of three spike protein domains remains slightly lower compared to non-IS-Con finally. However, none of these differences was mirrored by the cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2 that remained stable during the first year after COVID-19 and was not further stimulated by a corona vaccination in OLT convalescents. In conclusion, despite lower concentrations of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in OLT convalescents anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity was as robust as in non-IS-Con.
. 2022 Nov 2;17(11):e0276929.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276929. eCollection 2022.
Reduced humoral but stable cellular SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity in liver transplant recipients in the first year after COVID-19
Theresa Kirchner[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sophia Heinrich[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Agnes Bonifacius[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bastian Engel[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Louisa Ruhl[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Isabell Pink[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Nele Thomas[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Joerg Martens[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Marius M Hoeper[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rainer Blasczyk[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Heiner Wedemeyer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Elmar Jaeckel[SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Yang Li[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Christine S Falk[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Britta Eiz-Vesper[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Richard Taubert[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36322587
- DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276929
Abstract
Mortality due to COVID-19 is not increased in immunosuppressed individuals after liver transplantation (OLT) compared to individuals without immunosuppression. Data on long-term protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in immunosuppressed convalescents, is limited. We prospectively measured immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 by quantifying antibodies against 4 different antigens (spike protein 1 and 2, receptor binding domain, nucleocapsid) and T cell responses by IFN-γ ELISPOT against 4 antigens (membrane, nucleocapsid, spike protein 1 and 2) in 24 OLT convalescents with immunosuppressive therapy longitudinally in the first year after COVID-19 including a booster vaccination in comparison to a matched cohort of non-immunosuppressed convalescents (non-IS-Con). Pre-pandemic OLT samples were retrieved from our prospective OLT biorepository (n = 16). No relevant T cell reactivity or immunoglobulin G (IgG) against SARS-CoV-2 were detectable in pre-pandemic samples of OLT recipients despite reactivity against endemic corona-viruses. OLT convalescents had a lower prevalence of IgG against nucleocapsid (54% vs. 90%) but not against spike protein domains (98-100% vs. 100%) after vaccination in the second half-year after COVID-19 compared to non-IS-Con. Also, concentrations of anti-nucleocapsid IgG were lower in OLT convalescents than in non-IS-Con. Concentration of IgG against spike protein domains was significantly increased by a booster vaccination in OLT convalescents. But concentration of IgG against two of three spike protein domains remains slightly lower compared to non-IS-Con finally. However, none of these differences was mirrored by the cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2 that remained stable during the first year after COVID-19 and was not further stimulated by a corona vaccination in OLT convalescents. In conclusion, despite lower concentrations of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in OLT convalescents anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity was as robust as in non-IS-Con.