Comparative single-cell immune responses in peripheral blood and lymph node of immunized SARS-CoV-2 challenged infant rhesus macaques

Introduction A better understanding of post-exposure immune responses in vaccinated individuals, particularly infants, is needed. Methods Using a rhesus macaque model, we compared recipients of mRNA- or protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines administered in infancy with unvaccinated controls 7 days post-SARS-CoV-2 virus challenge. Mass cytometry profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and dissociated mediastinal lymph node cells at 7 days post-challenge revealed tissue-specific differences between groups, representing a snapshot of immune activity at this point. Results Vaccinated animals showed lower frequencies of activated CD8+ T cells in blood and lower levels of monocyte and B cell subsets in lymph nodes, aligning with lower viral loads and milder pathology. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells—commonly depleted in circulation during severe human COVID-19—were preserved in the blood of vaccinated groups. Ex vivo stimulation demonstrated heightened inflammatory cell signaling from unvaccinated rhesus macaques, correlating with worse clinical outcomes. Discussion These findings enhance our understanding of a critical nonhuman primate model and underscore the utility of single-cell, tissue-level analyses in evaluating next-generation pediatric SARS-CoV-2 vaccine strategies.