Abstract Details

Title SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell immunity in Spike Protein Antibody negative MS patients after vaccination

Topic Multiple Sclerosis

Presentation(s) P11 - Poster Session 11 (11:45 AM-12:45 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 12-007

Background MS patients on highly-active disease-modifying treatment (DMT) develop no or insufficient amounts of protective antibodies after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, a matter of general concern. Besides the humoral response, the development of cellular vaccine response has not been reported.

Objective To assess SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific cellular immunity in those multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who remain seronegative in response to vaccination.

Design/Methods In our centre, patients with no antibodies against the Spike-protein after completion of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were offered additional testing with a commercially available SARS-CoV-2 Elispot assay.

Results All seronegative patients had been vaccinated using two doses of mRNA vaccines, according to national and international recommendations. To date, 11 patients on sphingosin-1-phosphate receptor modulators (S1PRM) were seronegative; none of these had SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell reactivity. 6 patients on B cell depleting therapy were seronegative; in contrast to S1PRM treated patients, seronegative patients on B cell depleting therapy showed a measurable T cell based vaccine response.

Conclusions In patients on S1PRM, absence of mRNA-vaccine induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies corresponds to a lack of cellular response, while on B cell depletion, seronegativity provides only partial assessment of vaccine response. Analyses in patients who decide to get a booster vaccination are ongoing. The differential cellular response in MS patients on DMT targeting trafficking of all lymphocytes (S1PRM) vs depleting select lymphocyte populations might be expected.

Authors/Disclosures
Clemens Goedel, MD (University Hospital Leipzig) PRESENTER	Dr. Goedel has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Florian Then Bergh, MD (University of Leipzig, Klinik u. Poliklinik fuer Neurologie)	Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Biogen. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Merck. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Roche. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Horizon. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for UCB. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Actelion. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Alexion. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Biogen. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Bayer. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Genzyme. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Roche. Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Fresenius. The institution of Dr. Then Bergh has received research support from Actelion. The institution of Dr. Then Bergh has received research support from Novartis. The institution of Dr. Then Bergh has received research support from DFG (German Science Fund). Dr. Then Bergh has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Member of the Institutional Ethics Board with University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty.