SARS-CoV-2 vaccination induces immunological T cell memory able to cross-recognize variants from Alpha to Omicron

• Published in: Cell Vol. 185; no. 5; pp. 847 - 859.e11
• Main Authors: Tarke, Alison, Coelho, Camila H., Zhang, Zeli, Dan, Jennifer M., Yu, Esther Dawen, Methot, Nils, Bloom, Nathaniel I., Goodwin, Benjamin, Phillips, Elizabeth, Mallal, Simon, Sidney, John, Filaci, Gilberto, Weiskopf, Daniela, da Silva Antunes, Ricardo, Crotty, Shane, Grifoni, Alba, Sette, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 03.03.2022
• Subjects: Ad26COVS1 - administration & dosage; Ad26COVS1 - immunology; B cells; B-lymphocytes; BNT162 Vaccine - administration & dosage; BNT162 Vaccine - immunology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; COVID-19 - pathology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - virology; COVID-19 vaccines; COVID-19 Vaccines - administration & dosage; COVID-19 Vaccines - immunology; Delta; epitopes; Epitopes - immunology; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Humans; memory; Memory B Cells - immunology; Memory B Cells - metabolism; Memory T Cells - immunology; Memory T Cells - metabolism; Omicron; SARS-COV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - immunology; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; SARS-CoV-2 - metabolism; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - chemistry; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - immunology; T cells; Vaccination; vaccines; VOC; VOI; COVID-19 vaccines; VOI; epitopes; SARS-COV-2; Delta; B cells; VOC; Omicron; T cells
• ISSN: 0092-8674; 1097-4172; 1097-4172
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.01.015

We address whether T cell responses induced by different vaccine platforms (mRNA-1273, BNT162b2, Ad26.COV2.S, and NVX-CoV2373) cross-recognize early SARS-CoV-2 variants. T cell responses to early variants were preserved across vaccine platforms. By contrast, significant overall decreases were observed for memory B cells and neutralizing antibodies. In subjects ∼6 months post-vaccination, 90% (CD4+) and 87% (CD8+) of memory T cell responses were preserved against variants on average by AIM assay, and 84% (CD4+) and 85% (CD8+) preserved against Omicron. Omicron RBD memory B cell recognition was substantially reduced to 42% compared with other variants. T cell epitope repertoire analysis revealed a median of 11 and 10 spike epitopes recognized by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, with average preservation > 80% for Omicron. Functional preservation of the majority of T cell responses may play an important role as a second-level defense against diverse variants. [Display omitted] •T cells of vaccinees recognize SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron•RBD memory B cells’ recognition of Omicron is reduced•A median of 11 CD4 and 10 CD8 spike epitopes are recognized in vaccinees•Average preservation > 80% for Omicron at the epitope level Human memory T cells induced by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines maintain the ability to recognize viral variants, including the Omicron variant.