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No evidence of immune exhaustion after repeated...
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No evidence of immune exhaustion after repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in vulnerable and healthy populations

Abstract

Frequent SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in vulnerable populations has raised concerns that this may contribute to T cell exhaustion, which could negatively affect the quality of immune protection. Herein, we examined the impact of repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on T cell phenotypic and functional exhaustion in frail older adults in long-term care, individuals on immunosuppressive drugs, and healthy adults. Spike-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell levels did not decline in any cohort following repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, nor did the expression of exhaustion markers on spike-specific or total T cells increase. T cell production of multiple cytokines (i.e. polyfunctionality) in response to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 did not decline in any cohort following repeated vaccination. None of the cohorts displayed elevated levels of terminally differentiated T cells following multiple SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. Thus, repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was not associated with increased T cell exhaustion in older frail adults, immunosuppressed individuals, or healthy adults.

Authors

Bowdish D; Benoit J; Breznik J; Wu Y; Kennedy A; Liu L-M; Cowbrough B; Baker B; Hagerman M; Andary C

Publication date

November 27, 2024

DOI

10.21203/rs.3.rs-5485352/v1

Preprint server

Research Square

Labels

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

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