tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Sci Rep
. 2024 Sep 2;14(1):20348.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-70725-8. T-cell responses to ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron variant among unvaccinated pregnant and postpartum women living with and without HIV in South Africa
William C McMahon[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Gaurav Kwatra[SUP] 3 4 5 [/SUP], Alane Izu[SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Stephanie A Jones[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nkululeko J Mbele[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nwabisa Jafta[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rushil Lala[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sharon Shalekoff[SUP] 7 8 [/SUP], Caroline T Tiemessen[SUP] 7 8 [/SUP], Shabir A Madhi[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Marta C Nunes[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
SARS-CoV-2 cell-mediated immunity remains understudied during pregnancy in unvaccinated Black African women living with HIV (WLWH) from low- and middle-income countries. We investigated SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses 1 month following infection in 24 HIV-uninfected women and 15 WLWH at any stage during pregnancy or postpartum. The full-length spike (FLS) glycoprotein and nucleocapsid (N) protein of wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2, as well as mutated spike protein regions found in the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) were targeted by flow cytometry. WT-specific CD4[SUP]+[/SUP] and CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells elicited similar FLS- and N-specific responses in HIV-uninfected women and WLWH. SARS-CoV-2-specific T-lymphocytes were predominantly TNF-α monofunctional in pregnant and postpartum women living with and without HIV, with fever cells producing either IFN-γ or IL-2. Furthermore, T-cell responses were unaffected by Omicron-specific spike mutations as similar responses between Omicron and the ancestral virus were detected for CD4[SUP]+[/SUP] and CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells. Our results collectively demonstrate comparable T-cell responses between WLWH on antiretroviral therapy and HIV-uninfected pregnant and postpartum women who were naïve to Covid-19 vaccination. Additionally, we show that T cells from women infected with the ancestral virus, Beta variant (B.1.351), or Delta variant (B.1.617.2) can cross-recognize Omicron, suggesting an overall preservation of T-cell immunity.
. 2024 Sep 2;14(1):20348.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-70725-8. T-cell responses to ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron variant among unvaccinated pregnant and postpartum women living with and without HIV in South Africa
William C McMahon[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Gaurav Kwatra[SUP] 3 4 5 [/SUP], Alane Izu[SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Stephanie A Jones[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nkululeko J Mbele[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nwabisa Jafta[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rushil Lala[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sharon Shalekoff[SUP] 7 8 [/SUP], Caroline T Tiemessen[SUP] 7 8 [/SUP], Shabir A Madhi[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Marta C Nunes[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 39223211
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70725-8
SARS-CoV-2 cell-mediated immunity remains understudied during pregnancy in unvaccinated Black African women living with HIV (WLWH) from low- and middle-income countries. We investigated SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses 1 month following infection in 24 HIV-uninfected women and 15 WLWH at any stage during pregnancy or postpartum. The full-length spike (FLS) glycoprotein and nucleocapsid (N) protein of wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2, as well as mutated spike protein regions found in the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) were targeted by flow cytometry. WT-specific CD4[SUP]+[/SUP] and CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells elicited similar FLS- and N-specific responses in HIV-uninfected women and WLWH. SARS-CoV-2-specific T-lymphocytes were predominantly TNF-α monofunctional in pregnant and postpartum women living with and without HIV, with fever cells producing either IFN-γ or IL-2. Furthermore, T-cell responses were unaffected by Omicron-specific spike mutations as similar responses between Omicron and the ancestral virus were detected for CD4[SUP]+[/SUP] and CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T cells. Our results collectively demonstrate comparable T-cell responses between WLWH on antiretroviral therapy and HIV-uninfected pregnant and postpartum women who were naïve to Covid-19 vaccination. Additionally, we show that T cells from women infected with the ancestral virus, Beta variant (B.1.351), or Delta variant (B.1.617.2) can cross-recognize Omicron, suggesting an overall preservation of T-cell immunity.