Although accumulating data have investigated the effect of SARS-CoV-2 mutations on antibody neutralizing activity, less is known about T cell immunity. In this work, we found that the ancestral (Wuhan strain) Spike protein can efficaciously reactivate CD4+ T cell memory in subjects with previous Alpha variant infection. This finding has practical implications, as in many countries only one vaccine dose is currently administered to individuals with previous COVID-19, independently of which SARS-CoV-2 variant was responsible of the infection. We also found that only a minority of Spike-specific CD4+ T cells targets regions mutated in Alpha, Beta and Delta variants, both after natural infection and vaccination. Finally, we found that the vast majority of Spike-specific CD4+ T cell memory response induced by natural infection or mRNA vaccination is conserved also against Omicron variant. This is of importance, as this newly emerged strain is responsible for a sudden rise in COVID-19 cases worldwide due to its increased transmissibility and ability to evade antibody neutralization. Collectively, these observations suggest that most of the memory CD4+ T cell response is conserved against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, providing an efficacious line of defense that can protect from the development of severe forms of COVID-19.
SARS-CoV-2 Spike-Specific CD4+ T Cell Response Is Conserved Against Variants of Concern, Including Omicron / Mazzoni A.; Vanni A.; Spinicci M.; Capone M.; Lamacchia G.; Salvati L.; Coppi M.; Antonelli A.; Carnasciali A.; Farahvachi P.; Giovacchini N.; Aiezza N.; Malentacchi F.; Zammarchi L.; Liotta F.; Rossolini G.M.; Bartoloni A.; Cosmi L.; Maggi L.; Annunziato F.. - In: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY. - ISSN 1664-3224. - ELETTRONICO. - 13:(2022), pp. 0-0. [10.3389/fimmu.2022.801431]
SARS-CoV-2 Spike-Specific CD4+ T Cell Response Is Conserved Against Variants of Concern, Including Omicron
Mazzoni A.;Spinicci M.;Capone M.;Lamacchia G.;Salvati L.;Coppi M.;Antonelli A.;Carnasciali A.;Farahvachi P.;Giovacchini N.;Aiezza N.;Malentacchi F.;Zammarchi L.;Liotta F.;Rossolini G. M.;Bartoloni A.;Cosmi L.;Maggi L.;Annunziato F.
2022
Abstract
Although accumulating data have investigated the effect of SARS-CoV-2 mutations on antibody neutralizing activity, less is known about T cell immunity. In this work, we found that the ancestral (Wuhan strain) Spike protein can efficaciously reactivate CD4+ T cell memory in subjects with previous Alpha variant infection. This finding has practical implications, as in many countries only one vaccine dose is currently administered to individuals with previous COVID-19, independently of which SARS-CoV-2 variant was responsible of the infection. We also found that only a minority of Spike-specific CD4+ T cells targets regions mutated in Alpha, Beta and Delta variants, both after natural infection and vaccination. Finally, we found that the vast majority of Spike-specific CD4+ T cell memory response induced by natural infection or mRNA vaccination is conserved also against Omicron variant. This is of importance, as this newly emerged strain is responsible for a sudden rise in COVID-19 cases worldwide due to its increased transmissibility and ability to evade antibody neutralization. Collectively, these observations suggest that most of the memory CD4+ T cell response is conserved against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, providing an efficacious line of defense that can protect from the development of severe forms of COVID-19.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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