Detection of Vaccine-Derived Spike Protein Associated with Immune Cell Infiltration in the Heart and Liver: A Report of Two Cases

Figures

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  Figure 1. (A) H&E staining at 100× showing borderline histio-lymphocytic myocarditis with single-cell necrosis, capillary proliferation, and contraction band necrosis. (B) H&E (200×) demonstrating myocardial infiltration by eosinophils (arrows), macrophages (arrows with square), and lymphocytes (arrows with dot). (C) CD4 immunostaining (DAB, 200×) revealing abundant interstitial CD4+ T-cells (arrows). (D) CD8 immunostaining (DAB, 200×) showing fewer CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (arrows). (E) CD68 staining (DAB, 200×) highlighting predominant CD68+ macrophages in the interstitium. (F) SARS-CoV-2 spike subunit 1 immunostaining (DAB, 200×) with positive staining of endothelial cells (arrows) and infiltration of inflammatory cells with a high content of CD68 macrophages (arrows with dot), including visible inflammatory cell penetration of the vessel wall.

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  Figure 2. (A) H&E staining at 100× showing enlarged portal tracts infiltrated by lymphocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophilic granulocytes, with interface activity and bile duct proliferation; sinusoidal lymphocyte infiltration is also visible. (B) Higher magnification H&E (200×) of portal tract inflammation. (C) CD4 immunostaining (DAB, 200×) demonstrating numerous CD4+ T-helper lymphocytes in portal areas. (D) CD8 staining (DAB, 200×) showing fewer CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes compared to CD4+ cells in the portal tract. (E) CD68 immunostaining (DAB, 200×) highlighting prominent macrophages/Kupffer cells. (F) SARS-CoV-2 spike subunit 1 staining (DAB, 400×) demonstrating vaccine-derived spike protein presence in cells morphologically and anatomically consistent with Kupffer cells (arrows) and sinusoidal endothelial cells (arrow with dot).

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  Figure 3. Schematic representation of the vaccine-derived autoimmune inflammatory reaction. (A) The LNPs deliver the vaccine mRNA into the endothelial cells, where it is translated by ribosomes, and the resulting vaccine-derived spike protein is then presented both on the cell membrane in its full form and as peptide fragments bound to MHC I. (B) An endothelial cell presenting the vaccine-derived spike protein to the B-cell receptor (BCR) of a B cell. (C) The MHC I of an endothelial cell presents peptides, derived from proteasomal degradation of endogenously synthesized spike protein, to the T-cell receptor (TCR) of a CD8+ lymphocyte. (D) The MHC class II molecule of a macrophage presents peptides derived from the spike protein, following apoptosis and subsequent phagocytosis of an endothelial cell to the T-cell receptor (TCR) of a CD4+ lymphocyte.