Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38185632›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2024

The spike-specific TCRβ repertoire shows distinct features in unvaccinated or vaccinated patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Eleonora Vecchio, Salvatore Rotundo, Claudia Veneziano, Antonio Abatino, Ilenia Aversa, Raffaella Gallo, Caterina Giordano, Francesca Serapide, Paolo Fusco, Giuseppe Viglietto and 6 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of translational medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Observational
  2. HLA-E-restricted SARS-CoV-2 epitopes drive CD8Journal of translational medicine · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Eleonora Vecchio *Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Salvatore Rotundo *Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Chair of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "Magna Graecia", 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Claudia VenezianoInterdepartmental Centre of Services, University "Magna Graecia", 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Antonio AbatinoDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Ilenia AversaDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Raffaella GalloDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Caterina GiordanoDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Francesca SerapideDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Chair of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "Magna Graecia", 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Paolo FuscoDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Chair of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "Magna Graecia", 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Giuseppe VigliettoDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Giovanni CudaDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Francesco CostanzoDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Alessandro RussoDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Chair of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "Magna Graecia", 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Enrico Maria TrecarichiDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Chair of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "Magna Graecia", 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Carlo Torti *Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Chair of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "Magna Graecia", 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Camillo Palmieri *Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy. cpalmieri@unicz.it.ORCID 0000-0001-6707-4723
Magna Graecia University · IT

Funding

Regione Calabria Action 10.5.12Regione Calabria FESR/FSE 2014-2020 DDRC n. 585Regione Calabria noCOVID19@UMG
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe evolving variants of SARS-CoV-2 may escape immunity from prior infections or vaccinations. It's vital to understand how immunity adapts to these changes. Both infection and mRNA vaccination induce T cells that target the Spike protein. These T cells can recognize multiple variants, such as Delta and Omicron, even if neutralizing antibodies are weakened. However, the degree of recognition can vary among people, affecting vaccine efficacy. Previous studies demonstrated the capability of T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire analysis to identify conserved and immunodominant peptides with cross-reactive potential among variant of concerns. However, there is a need to extend the analysis of the TCR repertoire to different clinical scenarios. The aim of this study was to examine the Spike-specific TCR repertoire profiles in natural infections and those with combined natural and vaccine immunity.

methodsA T-cell enrichment approach and bioinformatic tools were used to investigate the Spike-specific TCRβ repertoire in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of previously vaccinated (n = 8) or unvaccinated (n = 6) COVID-19 patients.

resultsDiversity and clonality of the TCRβ repertoire showed no significant differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. When comparing the TCRβ data to public databases, 692 unique TCRβ sequences linked to S epitopes were found in the vaccinated group and 670 in the unvaccinated group. TCRβ clonotypes related to spike regions S135-177, S264-276, S319-350, and S448-472 appear notably more prevalent in the vaccinated group. In contrast, the S673-699 epitope, believed to have super antigenic properties, is observed more frequently in the unvaccinated group. In-silico analyses suggest that mutations in epitopes, relative to the main SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, don't hinder their cross-reactive recognition by associated TCRβ clonotypes.

conclusionsOur findings reveal distinct TCRβ signatures in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals with COVID-19. These differences might be associated with disease severity and could influence clinical outcomes.

trial registrationFESR/FSE 2014-2020 DDRC n. 585, Action 10.5.12, noCOVID19@UMG.

Indexed as

COVID-19EpitopesHumansLeukocytes, MononuclearReceptors, Antigen, T-CellSARS-CoV-2Unvaccinated PersonsEpitopesReceptors, Antigen, T-CellBreakthrough infectionCOVID‐19SARS‐CoV‐2TCRβ repertoire

Identifiers

PMID38185632
PMCPMC10771664
OpenAlexW4390651567

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.