Abstract
BACKGROUNDPatients undergoing immune-modifying therapies demonstrate a reduced humoral response after COVID-19 vaccination, but we lack a proper evaluation of the effect of such therapies on vaccine-induced T cell responses.METHODSWe longitudinally characterized humoral and spike-specific T cell responses in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), who were on antimetabolite therapy (azathioprine or methotrexate), TNF inhibitors, and/or other biologic treatment (anti-integrin or anti-p40) for up to 6 months after completing 2-dose COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.RESULTSWe demonstrate that a spike-specific T cell response was not only induced in treated patients with IBD at levels similar to those of healthy individuals, but also sustained at higher magnitude for up to 6 months after vaccination, particularly in those treated with TNF inhibitor therapy. Furthermore, the spike-specific T cell response in these patients was mainly preserved against mutations present in SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) and characterized by a Th1/IL-10 cytokine profile.CONCLUSIONDespite the humoral response defects, patients under immune-modifying therapies demonstrated a favorable profile of vaccine-induced T cell responses that might still provide a layer of COVID-19 protection.FUNDINGThis study was funded by the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) Catalyst Grant (FY2021ES) and the National Research Fund Competitive Research Programme (NRF-CRP25-2020-0003).
Keywords: COVID-19; Cellular immune response; Immunology; Immunotherapy; Inflammatory bowel disease.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, immunology, Cellular immune response, Immunotherapy, inflammatory bowel disease., 【초록키워드】 Treatment, SARS-CoV-2, vaccination, therapy, Mutation, cytokine, Infectious disease, omicron, inhibitors, immune, Inflammatory bowel disease, T cell, COVID-19 vaccination, mRNA, response, Patient, B.1.1.529, methotrexate, inhibitor, disease, T cell response, biologic, IBD, TNF, humoral, healthy individuals, bowel, catalyst, lack, reduced, characterized, treated, demonstrated, magnitude, sustained, preserved, spike-specific T cell, treated patient, 【제목키워드】 therapy, Patient, T cell response,