|
 Dr. Jennifer Juno
Laboratory Head in Doherty Institute
University of Melbourne
Australia |
Title:
Recall of CD4 T cell memory by SARS-CoV-2 and influenza vaccines
Abstract:
The continual antigenic evolution of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses necessitates frequent updates to booster vaccine composition for both pathogens. The immunological and demographic factors that influence booster vaccine effectiveness remain poorly understood. Here, we collected PBMC and serum samples from a randomised clinical trial assessing the immunological impact of co-administering a quadrivalent, unadjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine and an mRNA/LNP-based monovalent XBB.1 COVID-19 booster vaccine. Using a combination of activation-induced marker (AIM) assays and HLA class II tetramers, we profiled the recall of CD4 T cell memory specific to HA or S vaccine antigens, and determined the relationship between CD4 T cell dynamics and the magnitude of the protective antibody response. While both vaccines were immunogenic and successfully increased HI and neutralising antibody titres, antigen-specific CD4 T cell phenotype and dynamics differed substantially between vaccine platforms. These data highlight the complex interplay between prior immune history, antigenic evolution, and vaccine platform in determining the outcome of booster vaccination in human populations.
Biography:
Dr Jennifer Juno is a T cell immunologist with a particular interest in CD4 T follicular helper cells. Originally from Canada, she was awarded her PhD in 2014 from the University of Manitoba, where she studied T cell dysfunction during HIV infection. Following a 2-year post-doctoral fellowship at the Public Health Agency of Canada, she moved to Melbourne to join the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Jennifer now leads a lab focused on harnessing CD4 T cells to improve immunity against human infectious diseases.
|
