Prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimens

Abstract mRNA and adenoviral vector vaccine platforms were used for the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines in many countries. However, the distinct immunogenic properties on these platforms remain less understood. We traced neutralizing antibodies, memory B cells, and T cells longitudinally in coho...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Masanori Isogawa, Taishi Onodera, Akira Ainai, Ryutaro Kotaki, Takayuki Kanno, Shinji Saito, Minoru Tobiume, Kenzo Tokunaga, Megumi Hara, Yoshio Hirota, Tadaki Suzuki, Yoshimasa Takahashi, Tomomi Tsuru
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00054-x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850231317810118656
author Masanori Isogawa
Taishi Onodera
Akira Ainai
Ryutaro Kotaki
Takayuki Kanno
Shinji Saito
Minoru Tobiume
Kenzo Tokunaga
Megumi Hara
Yoshio Hirota
Tadaki Suzuki
Yoshimasa Takahashi
Tomomi Tsuru
author_facet Masanori Isogawa
Taishi Onodera
Akira Ainai
Ryutaro Kotaki
Takayuki Kanno
Shinji Saito
Minoru Tobiume
Kenzo Tokunaga
Megumi Hara
Yoshio Hirota
Tadaki Suzuki
Yoshimasa Takahashi
Tomomi Tsuru
author_sort Masanori Isogawa
collection DOAJ
description Abstract mRNA and adenoviral vector vaccine platforms were used for the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines in many countries. However, the distinct immunogenic properties on these platforms remain less understood. We traced neutralizing antibodies, memory B cells, and T cells longitudinally in cohorts that received either mRNA (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273) or adenoviral vector (ChAdOx1) vaccines with homologous or heterologous regimens (total 9 groups, n = 26–28 for each group) at 4 weeks interval. The priming and boosting effects on various immune parameters were comparably assessed between mRNA and adenoviral vector platforms. We found that initial priming by adenoviral vector vaccine elicited robust T cell responses, but B cell responses, including antibody titers, were relatively lower than those elicited by mRNA priming. The dissociation between T cell and antibody responses were exaggerated at greater extents after the homologous booster with the adenoviral vector vaccine, resulting in 5-19-fold lower antibody titers despite comparable spike-specific T cell numbers at day 28 after the boost. Robust IFN-γ and few IL-2 and IL-5 production characterized T cell functionality primed by adenoviral vector. Boosting with mRNA vaccines restored their IL-2 and IL-5 production at some extents, but the IL-5 T cell responses elicited by adenoviral vector/mRNA heterologous regimen waned faster than those by mRNA homologous regimen. Thus, our data revealed that the cytokine production of helper T cells was skewed by adenoviral vector priming, leading to the attenuated IL-2 and IL-5 responses which were prolonged even after mRNA boosting, suggesting an imprinting of T-cell functionality depending on the vaccine platform used for initial priming. These results highlight the importance of selecting vaccine platforms based on the immunogenic properties.
format Article
id doaj-art-5b9022ec7eb44ac2afec958b405d85dd
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-5b9022ec7eb44ac2afec958b405d85dd2025-08-20T02:03:35ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-00054-xProlonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimensMasanori Isogawa0Taishi Onodera1Akira Ainai2Ryutaro Kotaki3Takayuki Kanno4Shinji Saito5Minoru Tobiume6Kenzo Tokunaga7Megumi Hara8Yoshio Hirota9Tadaki Suzuki10Yoshimasa Takahashi11Tomomi Tsuru12Research Center for Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityResearch Center for Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityDepartment of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityResearch Center for Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityDepartment of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityDepartment of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityDepartment of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityDepartment of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga UniversityClinical Epidemiology Research Center, SOUSEIKAI Medical Group (Medical Co. LTA)Department of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityResearch Center for Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityPS Clinic, SOUSEIKAI Medical Group (Medical Co. LTA)Abstract mRNA and adenoviral vector vaccine platforms were used for the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines in many countries. However, the distinct immunogenic properties on these platforms remain less understood. We traced neutralizing antibodies, memory B cells, and T cells longitudinally in cohorts that received either mRNA (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273) or adenoviral vector (ChAdOx1) vaccines with homologous or heterologous regimens (total 9 groups, n = 26–28 for each group) at 4 weeks interval. The priming and boosting effects on various immune parameters were comparably assessed between mRNA and adenoviral vector platforms. We found that initial priming by adenoviral vector vaccine elicited robust T cell responses, but B cell responses, including antibody titers, were relatively lower than those elicited by mRNA priming. The dissociation between T cell and antibody responses were exaggerated at greater extents after the homologous booster with the adenoviral vector vaccine, resulting in 5-19-fold lower antibody titers despite comparable spike-specific T cell numbers at day 28 after the boost. Robust IFN-γ and few IL-2 and IL-5 production characterized T cell functionality primed by adenoviral vector. Boosting with mRNA vaccines restored their IL-2 and IL-5 production at some extents, but the IL-5 T cell responses elicited by adenoviral vector/mRNA heterologous regimen waned faster than those by mRNA homologous regimen. Thus, our data revealed that the cytokine production of helper T cells was skewed by adenoviral vector priming, leading to the attenuated IL-2 and IL-5 responses which were prolonged even after mRNA boosting, suggesting an imprinting of T-cell functionality depending on the vaccine platform used for initial priming. These results highlight the importance of selecting vaccine platforms based on the immunogenic properties.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00054-x
spellingShingle Masanori Isogawa
Taishi Onodera
Akira Ainai
Ryutaro Kotaki
Takayuki Kanno
Shinji Saito
Minoru Tobiume
Kenzo Tokunaga
Megumi Hara
Yoshio Hirota
Tadaki Suzuki
Yoshimasa Takahashi
Tomomi Tsuru
Prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimens
Scientific Reports
title Prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimens
title_full Prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimens
title_fullStr Prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimens
title_full_unstemmed Prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimens
title_short Prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on T-cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector/mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regimens
title_sort prolonged effects of adenoviral vector priming on t cell cytokine production in heterologous adenoviral vector mrna covid 19 vaccination regimens
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00054-x
work_keys_str_mv AT masanoriisogawa prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT taishionodera prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT akiraainai prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT ryutarokotaki prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT takayukikanno prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT shinjisaito prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT minorutobiume prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT kenzotokunaga prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT megumihara prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT yoshiohirota prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT tadakisuzuki prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT yoshimasatakahashi prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens
AT tomomitsuru prolongedeffectsofadenoviralvectorprimingontcellcytokineproductioninheterologousadenoviralvectormrnacovid19vaccinationregimens