Vaccines (Jan 2023)

Updated Insights into the T Cell-Mediated Immune Response against SARS-CoV-2: A Step towards Efficient and Reliable Vaccines

  • Manish Dhawan,
  • Ali A. Rabaan,
  • Mahmoud M. Al Fawarah,
  • Souad A. Almuthree,
  • Roua A. Alsubki,
  • Amal H. Alfaraj,
  • Mutaib M. Mashraqi,
  • Saleh A. Alshamrani,
  • Wesam A. Abduljabbar,
  • Ameen S. S. Alwashmi,
  • Fatimah Al Ibrahim,
  • Abdulmonem A. Alsaleh,
  • Faryal Khamis,
  • Jameela Alsalman,
  • Manish Sharma,
  • Talha Bin Emran

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11010101
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
p. 101

Abstract

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The emergence of novel variants of SARS-CoV-2 and their abilities to evade the immune response elicited through presently available vaccination makes it essential to recognize the mechanisms through which SARS-CoV-2 interacts with the human immune response. It is essential not only to comprehend the infection mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 but also for the generation of effective and reliable vaccines against COVID-19. The effectiveness of the vaccine is supported by the adaptive immune response, which mainly consists of B and T cells, which play a critical role in deciding the prognosis of the COVID-19 disease. T cells are essential for reducing the viral load and containing the infection. A plethora of viral proteins can be recognized by T cells and provide a broad range of protection, especially amid the emergence of novel variants of SARS-CoV-2. However, the hyperactivation of the effector T cells and reduced number of lymphocytes have been found to be the key characteristics of the severe disease. Notably, excessive T cell activation may cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) by producing unwarranted and excessive amounts of cytokines and chemokines. Nevertheless, it is still unknown how T-cell-mediated immune responses function in determining the prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, it is unknown how the functional perturbations in the T cells lead to the severe form of the disease and to reduced protection not only against SARS-CoV-2 but many other viral infections. Hence, an updated review has been developed to understand the involvement of T cells in the infection mechanism, which in turn determines the prognosis of the disease. Importantly, we have also focused on the T cells’ exhaustion under certain conditions and how these functional perturbations can be modulated for an effective immune response against SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, a range of therapeutic strategies has been discussed that can elevate the T cell-mediated immune response either directly or indirectly.

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