Vaccines (Aug 2023)

Blood CD8+ Naïve T-Cells Identify MS Patients with High Probability of Optimal Cellular Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine

  • Alexander Rodero-Romero,
  • Susana Sainz de la Maza,
  • José Ignacio Fernández-Velasco,
  • Enric Monreal,
  • Paulette Esperanza Walo-Delgado,
  • Juan Luis Chico-García,
  • Noelia Villarrubia,
  • Fernando Rodríguez-Jorge,
  • Rafael Rodríguez-Ramos,
  • Jaime Masjuan,
  • Lucienne Costa-Frossard,
  • Luisa María Villar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11091399
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 9
p. 1399

Abstract

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This single-center study included 68 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who received the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination from one of several approved vaccine preparations in Spain. Blood samples were collected one to three months after the second dose of the vaccine had been administered. Cellular immune responses to the vaccine were assessed using QuantiFERON analysis, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell subsets were assayed using flow cytometry. Response associated with higher percentages of total lymphocytes, naïve CD4+ T-cells (p = 0.028), CD8+ T-cells (p = 0.013), and, mostly, naïve CD8+ T-cells (p = 0.0003). These results were confirmed by analyzing absolute numbers (p = 0.019; p = 0.002, and p = 0.0003, respectively). Naïve CD8 T-cell numbers higher than 17 cells/μL were closely associated with an optimal cellular response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (odds ratio: 24.0, confidence interval: 4.8–460.3; p = 0.0001). This finding clearly shows that independent of the treatment received, higher numbers of naïve CD8+ T-cells yield a strong cellular response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in MS patients. If this finding is validated with other viruses/vaccines, it could provide a good tool for identifying MS patients undergoing treatment who will develop strong cellular responses to anti-virus vaccines.

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