Longitudinal single cell profiling of epitope specific memory CD4+ T cell responses to recombinant zoster vaccine

Abstract Vaccination leads to rapid expansion of antigen-specific T cells within in the first few days. However, understanding of transcriptomic changes and fates of antigen-specific T cells upon vaccination remains limited. Here, we investigate the fate of memory CD4+ T cells upon reactivation to r...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaomin Wen, Alex K. Hu, Scott R. Presnell, Emily S. Ford, David M. Koelle, William W. Kwok
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57562-7
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Summary:Abstract Vaccination leads to rapid expansion of antigen-specific T cells within in the first few days. However, understanding of transcriptomic changes and fates of antigen-specific T cells upon vaccination remains limited. Here, we investigate the fate of memory CD4+ T cells upon reactivation to recombinant zoster vaccine for shingles at cellular and transcriptional levels. We show that glycoprotein E-specific memory CD4+ T cells respond strongly, their frequencies remain high, and they retain markers of cell activation one year following vaccination. Memory T cells with the most dominant TCR clonotype pre-vaccination remain prevalent at year one post-vaccination. These data implicate a major role for pre-existing memory T cells in perpetuating immune repertoires upon re-encountering cognate antigens. Differential gene expression indicates that cells post-vaccination are distinct from cells at baseline, suggesting committed memory T cells display transcriptional changes upon vaccination that could alter their responses against cognate immunogens.
ISSN:2041-1723