Spheromers reveal robust T cell responses to the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and attenuated peripheral CD8+T cell responses post SARS-CoV-2 infection

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Fei Gao, Stanford University; Vamsee Mallajoysula, Stanford University; Prabhu S Arunachalam, Stanford University; Kattria van der Ploeg, Stanford University; Monali Manohar, Stanford University; Katharina Roltgen, Stanford University; Fan Yang, Stanford University; Oliver Wirz, Stanford University; Ramona Hoh, Stanford University; Emily Haraguchi, Stanford University; Ji-Yeun Lee, Stanford University; Richard Willis, Emory University; Vasanthi Ramachandiran, Emory University; Jiefu Li, Stanford University; Karan Raj Kathuria, Stanford University; Chunfeng Li, Stanford University; Alexandra S Lee, Stanford University; Mihir M Shah, Stanford University; Sayantani B Sindher, Stanford University; Joseph Gonzalez, Stanford University; John Altman, Emory University; Taia T Wang, Stanford University; Scott D Boyd, Stanford University; Bali Pulendran, Emory University; Prasanna Jagannathan, Stanford University; Kari C Nadeau, Stanford University; Mark M Davis, Stanford University
• Language: English
• Date: 2023-04-11
• Publisher: CELL PRESS
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2023 The Authors
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2023.03.005
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: IMMUNITY
• Volume: 56
• Issue: 4
• Start Page: 864
• End Page: +
• Keywords: DATABASE; CD4(+); Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Immunology; Science & Technology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Biology, Microbiology

Abstract

T cells are a critical component of the response to SARS-CoV-2, but their kinetics after infection and vaccination are insufficiently understood. Using “spheromer” peptide-MHC multimer reagents, we analyzed healthy subjects receiving two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine. Vaccination resulted in robust spike-specific T cell responses for the dominant CD4+ (HLA-DRB1∗15:01/S191) and CD8+ (HLA-A∗02/S691) T cell epitopes. Antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses were asynchronous, with the peak CD4+ T cell responses occurring 1 week post the second vaccination (boost), whereas CD8+ T cells peaked 2 weeks later. These peripheral T cell responses were elevated compared with COVID-19 patients. We also found that previous SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in decreased CD8+ T cell activation and expansion, suggesting that previous infection can influence the T cell response to vaccination.