SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination elicits a robust and persistent T follicular helper cell response in humans.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines induce robust anti-spike (S) antibody and CD4⁺ T cell responses. It is not yet clear whether vaccine-induced follicular helper CD4⁺ T (T_FH) cell responses contribute to this outstanding immunogenicity. Using fine-needle aspiration of draining axillary lymph nodes from individuals who received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, we evaluated the T cell receptor sequences and phenotype of lymph node T_FH. Mining of the responding T_FH T cell receptor repertoire revealed a strikingly immunodominant HLA-DPB1^∗04-restricted response to S_167-180 in individuals with this allele, which is among the most common HLA alleles in humans. Paired blood and lymph node specimens show that while circulating S-specific

SUBMITTER: Mudd PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8695127 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature