Longitudinal analysis of memory Tfh cells and antibody response following CoronaVac vaccination
Pengcheng Zhou, Cheng Cao, Tuo Ji, Ting Zheng, Yaping Dai, Min Liu, Junfeng Jiang, Daoqi Sun, Zhonghu Bai, Xiaojie Lu, Fang Gong
Pengcheng Zhou, Cheng Cao, Tuo Ji, Ting Zheng, Yaping Dai, Min Liu, Junfeng Jiang, Daoqi Sun, Zhonghu Bai, Xiaojie Lu, Fang Gong
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Research Article COVID-19 Infectious disease

Longitudinal analysis of memory Tfh cells and antibody response following CoronaVac vaccination

Abstract

The inactivated vaccine CoronaVac is one of the most widely used COVID-19 vaccines globally. However, the longitudinal evolution of the immune response induced by CoronaVac remains elusive compared with other vaccine platforms. Here, we recruited 88 healthy individuals who received 3 doses of CoronaVac vaccine. We longitudinally evaluated their polyclonal and antigen-specific CD4+ T cells and neutralizing antibody response after receiving each dose of vaccine for over 300 days. Both the second and third doses of vaccine induced robust spike-specific neutralizing antibodies, with a third vaccine further increasing the overall magnitude of antibody response and neutralization against Omicron sublineages B.1.1.529, BA.2, BA.4/BA.5, and BA.2.75.2. Spike-specific CD4+ T cells and circulating T follicular helper (cTfh) cells were markedly increased by the second and third dose of CoronaVac vaccine, accompanied by altered composition of functional cTfh cell subsets with distinct effector and memory potential. Additionally, cTfh cells were positively correlated with neutralizing antibody titers. Our results suggest that CoronaVac vaccine–induced spike-specific T cells are capable of supporting humoral immunity for long-term immune protection.

Authors

Pengcheng Zhou, Cheng Cao, Tuo Ji, Ting Zheng, Yaping Dai, Min Liu, Junfeng Jiang, Daoqi Sun, Zhonghu Bai, Xiaojie Lu, Fang Gong

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Figure 6

CoronaVac-induced spike-specific memory Tfh cells.

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CoronaVac-induced spike-specific memory Tfh cells. PBMCs collected from ...
PBMCs collected from vaccinated donors (n = 63) at 5 different time points (T1–T5) were ex vivo–stimulated with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S1+S2, 2 μg/mL, SinoBiological) in 5% CO2 at 37°C for 24 hours. SEB (1 μg/mL, Toxin Technology) was used as positive control. (A) Representative FACS plots of AIM+CD4+ T (HLA-DR+CD25+) cells and AIM+ cTfh (CXCR5+HLA-DR+CD25+) cells at 5 time points. The frequencies of AIM+CD4+ T cells (B), AIM+ cTfh cells (D), AIM+ cTfh1 cells (E), AIM+ cTfh2 cells (F), and AIM+ Tfh17 cells (G) were shown by the percentage in total CD4+ T cells and cell numbers in 106 PBMCs. (C) The frequencies of AIM+ EM, CM, T cells that reexpress the naive cell marker CD45RA (TEMRA), and naive CD4+ T cells in AIM+CD4+ T cells at 5 time points. (H) The cell numbers of AIM+ cTfh1, cTfh2, and cTfh17 cells at 5 time points. Data are the same as in E–G. (I) Statistical analysis showing the alteration of the frequencies of AIM+ cTfh-EM and AIM+ cTfh-CM cells at 5 time points. (J) The proportion of AIM+ cTfh-EM and AIM+ cTfh-CM cells in AIM+ cTfh cells at 5 time points. Data are the same as in I. Each dot represents an individual participant. Bars represent the mean values with SEM. Statistics were calculated using Wilcoxon’s matched pairs signed ranks test for comparison between time points (B and D–G). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; ****P < 0.0001.