Subunit protein CD40.SARS.CoV2 vaccine induces SARS-CoV-2-specific stem cell-like memory CD8⁺ T cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ideally, vaccination should induce protective long-lived humoral and cellular immunity. Current licensed COVID-19 mRNA vaccines focused on the spike (S) region induce neutralizing antibodies that rapidly wane.

Methods

Herein, we show that a subunit vaccine (CD40.CoV2) targeting spike and nucleocapsid antigens to CD40-expressing cells elicits broad specific human (hu)Th1 CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in humanized mice.

Findings

CD40.CoV2 vaccination selectively enriched long-lived spike- and nucleocapsid-specific CD8⁺ progenitors with stem-cell-like memory (Tscm) properties, whereas mRNA BNT162b2 induced effector memory CD8⁺ T cells. CD8⁺ Tscm cells produced IFNγ and TNF upon antigenic restimulation and showed a

SUBMITTER: Nguema L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11697708 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature