TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity in 571 vaccines by using an IFN-γ release assay
AU - Wakui, Masatoshi
AU - Uwamino, Yoshifumi
AU - Yatabe, Yoko
AU - Nakagawa, Terumichi
AU - Sakai, Akiko
AU - Kurafuji, Toshinobu
AU - Shibata, Ayako
AU - Tomita, Yukari
AU - Noguchi, Masayo
AU - Tanabe, Akiko
AU - Arai, Tomoko
AU - Ohno, Akemi
AU - Yokota, Hiromitsu
AU - Uno, Shunsuke
AU - Yamasawa, Wakako
AU - Sato, Yasunori
AU - Ikeda, Mari
AU - Yoshimura, Akihiko
AU - Hasegawa, Naoki
AU - Saya, Hideyuki
AU - Murata, Mitsuru
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Memory T cell responses have been analyzed only in small cohorts of COVID-19 vaccines. Herein, we aimed to assess anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity in a large cohort using QuantiFERON assays, which are IFN-γ release assays (IGRAs) based on short-term whole blood culture. The study included 571 individuals receiving the viral spike (S) protein-expressing BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. QuantiFERON assays revealed antigen-specific IFN-γ production in most individuals 8 weeks after the second dose. Simultaneous flow cytometric assays to detect T cells expressing activation-induced markers (AIMs) performed for 28 randomly selected individuals provided data correlating with the QuantiFERON data. Simultaneous IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot and AIM assays for another subset of 31 individuals, based on short-term peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture, also indicated a correlation between IFN-γ production and AIM positivity. These observations indicated the acquisition of T cell memory responses and supported the usability of IGRAs to assess cellular immunity. The QuantiFERON results were weakly correlated with serum IgG titers against the receptor-binding domain of the S protein and were associated with pre-vaccination infection and adverse reactions after the second dose. The present study revealed cellular immunity after COVID-19 vaccination, providing insights into the effects and adverse reactions of vaccination.
AB - Memory T cell responses have been analyzed only in small cohorts of COVID-19 vaccines. Herein, we aimed to assess anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity in a large cohort using QuantiFERON assays, which are IFN-γ release assays (IGRAs) based on short-term whole blood culture. The study included 571 individuals receiving the viral spike (S) protein-expressing BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. QuantiFERON assays revealed antigen-specific IFN-γ production in most individuals 8 weeks after the second dose. Simultaneous flow cytometric assays to detect T cells expressing activation-induced markers (AIMs) performed for 28 randomly selected individuals provided data correlating with the QuantiFERON data. Simultaneous IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot and AIM assays for another subset of 31 individuals, based on short-term peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture, also indicated a correlation between IFN-γ production and AIM positivity. These observations indicated the acquisition of T cell memory responses and supported the usability of IGRAs to assess cellular immunity. The QuantiFERON results were weakly correlated with serum IgG titers against the receptor-binding domain of the S protein and were associated with pre-vaccination infection and adverse reactions after the second dose. The present study revealed cellular immunity after COVID-19 vaccination, providing insights into the effects and adverse reactions of vaccination.
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U2 - 10.1002/eji.202249794
DO - 10.1002/eji.202249794
M3 - Article
C2 - 36250411
AN - SCOPUS:85141350859
SN - 0014-2980
VL - 52
SP - 1961
EP - 1971
JO - European Journal of Immunology
JF - European Journal of Immunology
IS - 12
ER -
