Reduced Humoral and Cellular Immune Response to Primary COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Kidney Transplanted Children Aged 5–11 Years

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Jasmin K. Lalia - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Raphael Schild - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Marc Lütgehetmann - , University of Hamburg, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (Author)
  • Gabor A. Dunay - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Tilmann Kallinich - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Robin Kobbe - , University of Hamburg, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (Author)
  • Mona Massoud - , Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Author)
  • Jun Oh - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Leonora Pietzsch - , Department of Paediatrics (Author)
  • Ulf Schulze-Sturm - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Catharina Schuetz - , Department of Paediatrics (Author)
  • Freya Sibbertsen - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Fabian Speth - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Sebastian Thieme - , Department of Paediatrics (Author)
  • Mario Witkowski - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Author)
  • Reinhard Berner - , Department of Paediatrics (Author)
  • Ania C. Muntau - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Søren W. Gersting - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Nicole Toepfner - , Department of Paediatrics (Author)
  • Julia Pagel - , University of Hamburg, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (Author)
  • Kevin Paul - , University of Hamburg (Author)

Abstract

The situation of limited data concerning the response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations in immunocom-promised children hinders evidence-based recommendations. This prospective observational study investigated humoral and T cell responses after primary BNT162b2 vaccination in secondary immunocompromised and healthy children aged 5–11 years. Participants were categorized as: children after kidney transplantation (KTx, n = 9), proteinuric glomerulonephritis (GN, n = 4) and healthy children (controls, n = 8). Expression of activation-induced markers and cytokine secretion were determined to quantify the T cell response from PBMCs stimulated with peptide pools covering the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan Hu-1 and Omicron BA.5. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain were quantified in serum. Seroconversion was detected in 56% of KTx patients and in 100% of the GN patients and controls. Titer levels were significantly higher in GN patients and controls than in KTx patients. In Ktx patients, the humoral response increased after a third immunization. No differences in the frequency of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between all groups were observed. T cells showed a predominant anti-viral capacity in their secreted cytokines; however, this capacity was reduced in KTx patients. This study provides missing evidence concerning the humoral and T cell response in immunocompromised children after COVID-19 vaccination.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number1553
Number of pages15
JournalViruses
Volume15
Issue number7
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 37515239
ORCID /0009-0003-6519-0482/work/146644419

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • glomerulonephritis, pediatric, SARS-CoV-2, solid organ transplant, T cell, Humans, Vaccination, Kidney Transplantation, Antibodies, Viral, Kidney, RNA, Messenger/genetics, BNT162 Vaccine, Immunity, Humoral, COVID-19 Vaccines, COVID-19/prevention & control, Child, Immunity, Cellular

Library keywords