Immunodeficiency syndromes differentially impact the functional profile of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells elicited by mRNA vaccination

Many immunocompromised patients mount suboptimal humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. Here, we assessed the single-cell profile of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells post-mRNA vaccination in healthy individuals and patients with various forms of immunodeficiencies. Impaired vaccine-induced cell-mediated immunity was observed in many immunocompromised patients, particularly in solid-organ transplant and chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients. Notably, individuals with an inherited lack of mature B cells, i.e., X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) displayed highly functional spike-specific T cell responses. Single-cell RNA-sequencing further revealed that mRNA vaccination induced a broad functional spectrum of spike-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in healthy individuals and patients with XLA. These responses were founded on polyclonal repertoires of CD4(+) T cells and robust expansions of oligoclonal effector-memory CD45RA(+) CD8(+) T cells with stem-like characteristics. Collectively, our data provide the functional continuum of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses post-mRNA vaccination, highlighting that cell-mediated immunity is of variable functional quality across immunodeficiency syndromes.

Automated summary

Many immunocompromised patients have suboptimal cell-mediated immunity after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination, particularly solid-organ transplant and chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients. However, individuals with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) showed highly functional spike-specific T cell responses. The study also revealed a broad functional spectrum of spike-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in healthy individuals and XLA patients after mRNA vaccination.