Single-cell transcriptome landscape and antigen receptor dynamic during SARS-CoV-2 vaccination

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Genomics

Background:

• Inactivated vaccines are key for COVID-19 pandemic control.
• The precise single-cell molecular immune response to vaccination remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively map the single-cell immune response to inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
• To analyze T cell receptor (TCR) and B cell receptor (BCR) expression profiles.
• To compare immune responses in vaccinated individuals and COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

• Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of pre- and post-vaccination samples.
• Bulk TCR sequencing analysis.
• Cell-cell interaction analysis.

Main Results:

• Identified a distinct clonal CD8+ T cell cluster in both vaccinated individuals and COVID-19 patients.
• Observed high expression of cytotoxicity, phagosome, and antigen presentation genes in these CD8+ T cells.
• Monocytes and dendritic cells interact with CD8+ T cells via ICAM1-ITGAM and ITGB2 signaling, initiating phagocytosis.

Conclusions:

• Detailed immunological response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and infection deciphered at the single-cell level.
• Findings provide insights into T-cell mediated immunity and potential T-cell therapies for COVID-19.