SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and Vaccination
(1) Background: SARS-CoV-2 T cell immunity is rapidly activated following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination and is crucial for controlling infection progression and severity. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 between cohorts of subjects with...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/7/1186 |
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| author | Vassiliki C. Pitiriga Myrto Papamentzelopoulou Kanella E. Konstantinakou Kalliopi Theodoridou Irene V. Vasileiou Athanasios Tsakris |
| author_facet | Vassiliki C. Pitiriga Myrto Papamentzelopoulou Kanella E. Konstantinakou Kalliopi Theodoridou Irene V. Vasileiou Athanasios Tsakris |
| author_sort | Vassiliki C. Pitiriga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: SARS-CoV-2 T cell immunity is rapidly activated following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination and is crucial for controlling infection progression and severity. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 between cohorts of subjects with hybrid immunity (convalescent and vaccinated), vaccinated naïve (non-exposed) and convalescent unvaccinated subjects. (2) Methods: We performed a retrospective descriptive analysis of data collected from the medical records of adult individuals who were consecutively examined at a large, private Medical Center of Attica from September 2021 to September 2022 in order to be examined on their own initiative for SARS-CoV-2 T cell immunity response. They were divided into three groups: Group A: SARS-CoV-2 convalescent and vaccinated subjects; Group B: SARS-CoV-2 naïve vaccinated subjects; Group C: SARS-CoV-2 convalescent unvaccinated subjects. The SARS-CoV-2 T cell response was estimated against spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) structural proteins by performing the methodology T-SPOT.COVID test. (3) Results: A total of 530 subjects were retrospectively included in the study, 252 females (47.5%) and 278 (52.5%) males ranging from 13 to 92 years old (mean 55.68 ± 17.0 years). Among them, 66 (12.5%) were included in Group A, 284 (53.6%) in Group B and 180 (34.0%) in Group C. Among the three groups, a reaction against S antigen was reported in 58/66 (87.8%) of Group A, 175/284 (61.6%) of Group B and 146/180 (81.1%) of Group C (chi-square, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Reaction against N antigen was present in 49/66 (74.2%) of Group A and in 140/180 (77.7%) of Group C (chi-square, <i>p</i> = 0.841). The median SFC count for S antigen was 24 (range from 0–218) in Group A, 12 (range from 0–275) in Group B and 18 (range from 0–160) in Group C (Kruskal–Wallis test, <i>p</i> < 0.001; pairwise comparisons: groups A–B, <i>p</i> < 0.001; groups A–C, <i>p</i> = 0.147; groups B–C, <i>p</i> < 0.001). The median SFCs count for N antigen was 13 (range 0–82) for Group A and 18 (range 0–168) for Group C (Kruskal–Wallis test, <i>p</i> = 0.27 for A–C groups). (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that natural cellular immunity, either alone or combined with vaccination, confers stronger and more durable protection compared to vaccine-induced cellular immunity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:35:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3f9aeeaefaba4ed7b4467bb53be88d1f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:35:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-3f9aeeaefaba4ed7b4467bb53be88d1f2023-11-18T21:40:48ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2023-06-01117118610.3390/vaccines11071186SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and VaccinationVassiliki C. Pitiriga0Myrto Papamentzelopoulou1Kanella E. Konstantinakou2Kalliopi Theodoridou3Irene V. Vasileiou4Athanasios Tsakris5Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, GreeceMolecular Biology Unit, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, GreeceBioiatriki Healthcare Group, Kifisias 132 and Papada Street, 11526 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, GreeceBioiatriki Healthcare Group, Kifisias 132 and Papada Street, 11526 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece(1) Background: SARS-CoV-2 T cell immunity is rapidly activated following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination and is crucial for controlling infection progression and severity. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 between cohorts of subjects with hybrid immunity (convalescent and vaccinated), vaccinated naïve (non-exposed) and convalescent unvaccinated subjects. (2) Methods: We performed a retrospective descriptive analysis of data collected from the medical records of adult individuals who were consecutively examined at a large, private Medical Center of Attica from September 2021 to September 2022 in order to be examined on their own initiative for SARS-CoV-2 T cell immunity response. They were divided into three groups: Group A: SARS-CoV-2 convalescent and vaccinated subjects; Group B: SARS-CoV-2 naïve vaccinated subjects; Group C: SARS-CoV-2 convalescent unvaccinated subjects. The SARS-CoV-2 T cell response was estimated against spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) structural proteins by performing the methodology T-SPOT.COVID test. (3) Results: A total of 530 subjects were retrospectively included in the study, 252 females (47.5%) and 278 (52.5%) males ranging from 13 to 92 years old (mean 55.68 ± 17.0 years). Among them, 66 (12.5%) were included in Group A, 284 (53.6%) in Group B and 180 (34.0%) in Group C. Among the three groups, a reaction against S antigen was reported in 58/66 (87.8%) of Group A, 175/284 (61.6%) of Group B and 146/180 (81.1%) of Group C (chi-square, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Reaction against N antigen was present in 49/66 (74.2%) of Group A and in 140/180 (77.7%) of Group C (chi-square, <i>p</i> = 0.841). The median SFC count for S antigen was 24 (range from 0–218) in Group A, 12 (range from 0–275) in Group B and 18 (range from 0–160) in Group C (Kruskal–Wallis test, <i>p</i> < 0.001; pairwise comparisons: groups A–B, <i>p</i> < 0.001; groups A–C, <i>p</i> = 0.147; groups B–C, <i>p</i> < 0.001). The median SFCs count for N antigen was 13 (range 0–82) for Group A and 18 (range 0–168) for Group C (Kruskal–Wallis test, <i>p</i> = 0.27 for A–C groups). (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that natural cellular immunity, either alone or combined with vaccination, confers stronger and more durable protection compared to vaccine-induced cellular immunity.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/7/1186cellular immunityT cell immunitySARS-CoV-2COVID-19coronavirusvaccination |
| spellingShingle | Vassiliki C. Pitiriga Myrto Papamentzelopoulou Kanella E. Konstantinakou Kalliopi Theodoridou Irene V. Vasileiou Athanasios Tsakris SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and Vaccination Vaccines cellular immunity T cell immunity SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 coronavirus vaccination |
| title | SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and Vaccination |
| title_full | SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and Vaccination |
| title_fullStr | SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and Vaccination |
| title_full_unstemmed | SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and Vaccination |
| title_short | SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Immunity Responses following Natural Infection and Vaccination |
| title_sort | sars cov 2 t cell immunity responses following natural infection and vaccination |
| topic | cellular immunity T cell immunity SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 coronavirus vaccination |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/7/1186 |
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