Journal Article

Booster COVID-19 mRNA vaccination ameliorates impaired B-cell but not T-cell responses in older adults

Hidaka, Yu, Kido, Yasutoshi, Sette, Alessandro, Hamazaki, Yoko, Jo, Norihide, Grifoni, Alba, Pretemer, Yann, Li, Mengqian, Ito, Takeshi, Kometani, Kohei, Kikuchi, Osamu, Nagao, Miki, Muto, Manabu, Nakajima, Takako E., Yamaguchi, Erina, Sunami, Ayana, Yorimitsu, Takaaki, Nakagama, Yu, Morita, Satoshi, Gao, Yuxian, Kaku, Natsuko, Fukahori, Masaru, Yamamoto, Masaki, Tsujimoto, Yoshitaka, Sawada, Takeshi

2024

Overview

Age-associated differences in the effect of repetitive vaccination, particularly on memory T-cell and B-cell responses, remain unclear. While older adults (aged ≥65 years) exhibited enhanced IgG responses following COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination, they produced fewer spike-specific circulating follicular helper T cells-1 than younger adults. Similarly, the cytotoxic CD8 + T-cell response remained diminished with reduced PD-1 expression even after booster vaccination compared with that in younger adults, suggesting impaired memory T-cell activation in older adults. In contrast, although B-cell responses in older adults were weaker than those in younger adults in the primary response, the responses were significantly enhanced upon booster vaccination, reaching levels comparable with that observed in younger adults. Therefore, while booster vaccination ameliorates impaired humoral immunity in older adults by efficiently stimulating memory B-cell responses, it may less effectively enhance T-cell-mediated cellular immunity. Our study provides insights for the development of effective therapeutic and vaccine strategies for the most vulnerable older population.

• Publisher: Frontiers Media SA,Frontiers Media S.A
• Subject: Adult / Age / Age Factors / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Amino acids / Antibodies / Antibodies, Viral - blood / Antibodies, Viral - immunology / B-Lymphocytes - immunology / CD8 antigen / CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology / Cell activation / Cell-mediated immunity / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - immunology / COVID-19 - prevention & control / COVID-19 vaccines / COVID-19 Vaccines - immunology / cTfh / Cytotoxicity / Enrollments / Female / Hospitals / Humans / Humoral immunity / immune aging / Immune system / Immunity, Humoral / Immunization, Secondary / Immunoglobulin G / Immunoglobulin G - blood / Immunoglobulin G - immunology / Immunologic Memory / Immunological memory / Immunology / Infections / Infectious diseases / Lymphocytes / Lymphocytes B / Lymphocytes T / Male / Medical laboratories / memory B cells / Memory B Cells - immunology / Memory cells / memory T cells / Middle Aged / mRNA / mRNA vaccine / mRNA vaccines / mRNA Vaccines - immunology / Older people / PD-1 protein / Peptides / Proteins / SARS-CoV-2 - immunology / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - immunology / Young Adult