Development of an Effective Immune Response in Adults With Down Syndrome After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Vaccination

Abstract

Abstract Background Immune dysregulation in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) leads to an increased risk for hospitalization and death due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and may impair the generation of protective immunity after vaccine administration. Methods The cellular and humoral responses of 55 individuals with DS who received a complete SARS-CoV-2 vaccination regime at 1 to 3 (visit [V 1]) and 6 (V2) months were characterized. Results SARS-CoV-2–reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes with a predominant Th1 phenotype were observed at V1 and increased at V2. Likewise, an increase in SARS-CoV-2–specific circulating Tfh (cTfh) cells and CD8+ CXCR5+ PD-1hi lymphocytes was already observed at V1 after vaccine administration. Specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 S protein were detected in 96% and 98% of subjects at V1 and V2, respectively, although IgG titers decreased significantly between both time points. Conclusions Our findings show that DS individuals develop an effective immune response to usual regimes of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.