Abstract
The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of concern (VOC) has destabilized global efforts to control the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Recent data have suggested that B.1.1.529 can readily infect people with naturally acquired or vaccine-induced immunity, facilitated in some cases by viral escape from antibodies that neutralize ancestral SARS-CoV-2. However, severe disease appears to be relatively uncommon in such individuals, highlighting a potential role for other components of the adaptive immune system. We report here that SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific CD4 + and CD8 + T cells induced by prior infection or BNT162b2 vaccination provide extensive immune coverage against B.1.1.529. The median relative frequencies of SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific CD4 + T cells that cross-recognized B.1.1.529 in previously infected or BNT162b2-vaccinated individuals were 84% and 91%, respectively, and the corresponding median relative frequencies for SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific CD8 + T cells were 70% and 92%, respectively. Pairwise comparisons across groups further revealed that SARS-CoV-2 spike-reactive CD4 + and CD8 + T cells were functionally and phenotypically similar in response to the ancestral strain or B.1.1.529. Collectively, our data indicate that established SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific CD4 + and CD8 + T cell responses, especially after BNT162b2 vaccination, remain largely intact against B.1.1.529.
【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, SARS-CoV-2, Coronavirus disease 2019, coronavirus, vaccination, antibody, VoC, T cells, variant, Infection, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, omicron, CD4, CD8, immune, BNT162b2, T cell, Coverage, Viral, T cell responses, B.1.1.529, respiratory, group, severe disease, Vaccine-induced immunity, relative frequencies, in some, relative frequency, acute respiratory syndrome, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, individual, viral escape, Pairwise comparison, global efforts, vaccinated individuals, adaptive immune system, component, pairwise comparisons, infect, recent, neutralize, median, appear, facilitated, suggested, individuals, highlighting, destabilized, global effort, phenotypically similar, SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell,