Impact of disease-modifying therapies on humoral and cellular immune-responses following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in MS patients

Clin Transl Sci. 2022 Jul;15(7):1606-1612. doi: 10.1111/cts.13256. Epub 2022 Mar 4.

Abstract

The impact of distinct disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination efficacy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is still enigmatic. In this prospective comparative study, we investigated humoral and cellular immune-responses in patients with MS receiving interferon beta, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab pre-vaccination and 6 weeks post second SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Healthy individuals and interferon beta-treated patients generated robust humoral and cellular immune-responses. Although humoral immune responses were diminished in ocrelizumab-treated patients, cellular immune-responses were reduced in natalizumab-treated patients. Thus, both humoral and cellular immune responses should be closely monitored in patients on DMTs. Whereas patients with a poor cellular immune-response may benefit from additional vaccination cycles, patients with a diminished humoral immune-response may benefit from a treatment with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in case of an infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • Interferon-beta
  • Multiple Sclerosis* / drug therapy
  • Natalizumab
  • Prospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Natalizumab
  • Interferon-beta