Humoral and cellular immune responses to SARS CoV-2 vaccination in People with Multiple Sclerosis and NMOSD patients receiving immunomodulatory treatments

Abstract

Background: Vaccination against SARS CoV-2 results in excellent personal protection against a severe course of COVID19. In People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) vaccination efficacy may be reduced by immunomodulatory medications.

Objective: To assess the vaccination induced cellular and humoral immune response in PwMS receiving disease modifying therapies.

Methods: In a monocentric observational study on PwMS and patients with Neuromyelitis optica we quantified the cellular and humoral immune responses to SARS CoV-2.

Results: PwMS receiving glatiramer acetate, Interferon-ß, Dimethylfumarate, Cladribine or Natalizumab had intact humoral and cellular immune responses following vaccination against SARS CoV-2. B-cell depleting therapies reduced B-cell responses but did not affect T cell responses. Sphingosin-1-Phospate (S1P) inhibitors strongly reduced humoral and cellular immune responses. There was a good agreement between the Interferon gamma release assay and the T-SPOT assay used to measure viral antigen induced T-cell responses.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that S1P inhibitors impair the cellular and humoral immune response in SARS CoV-2 vaccination, whereas patients receiving B-cell depleting therapies mount an intact cellular immune response. These data can support clinicians in counselling their PwMS and NMOSD patients during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID 19; Cellular immune response; Humoral immune response; Multiple Sclerosis therapy; SARS CoV2; Vaccination.