Impaired CD4⁺ T cell response in older adults is associated with reduced immunogenicity and reactogenicity of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

ABSTRACT: Whether age-associated defects in T cells impact the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of mRNA vaccines remains unclear. Using a vaccinated cohort (n = 216), we demonstrated that older adults (aged ≥65 years) had fewer vaccine-induced spike-specific CD4⁺ T cells including CXCR3⁺ circulating follicular helper T cells and the T_H1 subset of helper T cells after the first dose, which correlated with their lower peak IgG levels and fewer systemic adverse effects after the second dose, compared with younger adults. Moreover, spike-specific T_H1 cells in older adults expressed higher levels of programmed cell death protein 1, a negative regulator of T cell activation, which was associated with low spike-specific CD8⁺ T cell responses. Thus, an

SUBMITTER: Jo N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10154196 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature