Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2025

An Adoptive Transfer Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice
Published on: June 6, 2025
Humoral and cellular immunogenicity of COVID-19 booster dose vaccination in inflammatory arthritis patients
Jakub Wroński1, Bożena Jaszczyk2, Leszek Roszkowski2
1Department of Rheumatology, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Warsaw, Poland.
Introduction:
Previous studies have shown a reduction in the effectiveness of primary COVID-19 vaccination in patients with rheumatic diseases. However, limited data is available regarding the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, especially on cellular response. The study aimed to assess the humoral and cellular immunogenicity of a booster dose in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA).
Patients And Methods:
49 IA and 47 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were included in a prospective cohort study. Both groups completed primary COVID-19 vaccination and after more than 180 days received a BNT162b2 booster shot. Humoral responses (level of IgG antibodies) and cellular responses (IFN-γ production) were assessed before and after 4 weeks from the booster dose of the vaccine.
Results:
After the booster dose, all participants showed an increased humoral response, although significantly reduced antibody levels were observed in IA patients compared to HC (p=0.004). The cellular response was significantly lower both before (p<0.001) and after (p<0.001) the booster dose in IA patients as compared to HC. Among the immunomodulatory drugs, only biological and targeted synthetic drugs lowered the humoral response after booster vaccination. However, the cellular response was decreased after all immunomodulatory drugs except IL-17 inhibitors and sulfasalazine.
Conclusion:
Our data indicate that patients with rheumatic diseases present lower humoral and cellular responses after the COVID-19 booster vaccine in comparison to HC. This may translate into a recommendation for subsequent booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for rheumatic patients.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Humoral Immune Responses
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
Inflammatory Response
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
Inflammatory Response I: Vascular and Cellular

