The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines
Multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines have been approved for clinical use. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers after immunization are widely used as an evaluation indicator, and the roles of cellular immune responses in the protective efficacy of vaccines...
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/7/1103 |
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| author | Zhongjie Sun Tingxin Wu Huangfan Xie Yuhuan Li Jinlan Zhang Xuncheng Su Hailong Qi |
| author_facet | Zhongjie Sun Tingxin Wu Huangfan Xie Yuhuan Li Jinlan Zhang Xuncheng Su Hailong Qi |
| author_sort | Zhongjie Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines have been approved for clinical use. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers after immunization are widely used as an evaluation indicator, and the roles of cellular immune responses in the protective efficacy of vaccines are rarely mentioned. However, therapeutic monoclonal neutralizing antibodies have shown limited efficacy in improving the outcomes of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), suggesting a passive role of cellular immunity in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The synergistic effect of virus-specific humoral and cellular immune responses helps the host to fight against viral infection. In fact, it has been observed that the early appearance of specific T-cell responses is strongly correlated with mild symptoms of COVID-19 patients and that individuals with pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural-protein-specific T cells are more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings suggest the important contribution of the cellular immune response to the fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19. Nowadays, new SARS-CoV-2 variants that can escape from the neutralization of antibodies are rapidly increasing. However, the epitopes of these variants recognized by T cells are largely preserved. Paying more attention to cellular immune responses may provide new instructions for designing effective vaccines for the prevention of severe disease induced by the break-through infection of new variants and the sequelae caused by virus latency. In this review, we deliberate on the role of cellular immunity against COVID-19 and summarize recent advances in the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the immune responses induced by vaccines to improve the design of new vaccines and immunization strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:10:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9775cea612b04469a697e366d55cf2dd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:10:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-9775cea612b04469a697e366d55cf2dd2023-12-01T22:46:25ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2022-07-01107110310.3390/vaccines10071103The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 VaccinesZhongjie Sun0Tingxin Wu1Huangfan Xie2Yuhuan Li3Jinlan Zhang4Xuncheng Su5Hailong Qi6State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, ChinaNewish Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing 100176, ChinaNewish Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing 100176, ChinaInstitute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, ChinaMultiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines have been approved for clinical use. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers after immunization are widely used as an evaluation indicator, and the roles of cellular immune responses in the protective efficacy of vaccines are rarely mentioned. However, therapeutic monoclonal neutralizing antibodies have shown limited efficacy in improving the outcomes of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), suggesting a passive role of cellular immunity in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The synergistic effect of virus-specific humoral and cellular immune responses helps the host to fight against viral infection. In fact, it has been observed that the early appearance of specific T-cell responses is strongly correlated with mild symptoms of COVID-19 patients and that individuals with pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural-protein-specific T cells are more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings suggest the important contribution of the cellular immune response to the fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19. Nowadays, new SARS-CoV-2 variants that can escape from the neutralization of antibodies are rapidly increasing. However, the epitopes of these variants recognized by T cells are largely preserved. Paying more attention to cellular immune responses may provide new instructions for designing effective vaccines for the prevention of severe disease induced by the break-through infection of new variants and the sequelae caused by virus latency. In this review, we deliberate on the role of cellular immunity against COVID-19 and summarize recent advances in the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the immune responses induced by vaccines to improve the design of new vaccines and immunization strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/7/1103SARS-CoV-2vaccinecellular immunity |
| spellingShingle | Zhongjie Sun Tingxin Wu Huangfan Xie Yuhuan Li Jinlan Zhang Xuncheng Su Hailong Qi The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines Vaccines SARS-CoV-2 vaccine cellular immunity |
| title | The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines |
| title_full | The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines |
| title_short | The Role of Cellular Immunity in the Protective Efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines |
| title_sort | role of cellular immunity in the protective efficacy of the sars cov 2 vaccines |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 vaccine cellular immunity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/7/1103 |
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