Older Adults Who Maintained a Regular Physical Exercise Routine before the Pandemic Show Better Immune Response to Vaccination for COVID-19

Abstract

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the specific-antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccination and the immunophenotyping of T cells in older adults who were engaged or not in an exercise training program before the pandemic.

Methods: Ninety-three aged individuals (aged between 60 and 85 years) were separated into 3 groups: practitioners of physical exercise vaccinated with CoronaVac (PE-Co, n = 46), or vaccinated with ChadOx-1 (PE-Ch, n = 23), and non-practitioners vaccinated with ChadOx-1 (NPE-Ch, n = 24). Blood samples were collected before (pre) and 30 days after vaccination with the second vaccine dose.

Results: Higher IgG levels and immunogenicity were found in the PE-Ch and NPE-Ch groups, whereas increased IgA levels were found only in the PE-Ch group post-vaccination. The PE-Co group showed a positive correlation between the IgA and IgG values, and lower IgG levels post-vaccination were associated with age. Significant alterations in the percentage of naive (CD28+CD57-), double-positive (CD28+CD57+), and senescent (CD28-CD57+) CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells were found post-vaccination, particularly in the PE-Ch group.

Conclusions: The volunteers vaccinated with the ChadOx-1 presented not only a better antibody response but also a significant modulation in the percentage of T cell profiles, mainly in the previously exercised group.

Keywords: COVID-19; active lifestyle; antibody; immunosenescence; lymphocyte; vaccine.

Figure 1

Representative scheme of study design.

Figure 2

Flowchart of the study design.

Figure 3

Representative dot plots of a flow cytometry panel used for the detection of both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells associated with the profile naïve (CD28+CD57−), double-positive (CD28+CD57+), and senescent (CD28-CD57-). PBMCs were stained with Abs recognizing CD4, CD8, CD28, and CD57 and were analyzed by flow cytometry, with the gating as indicated.

Figure 4

Total serum concentration (O.D. 450 nm) of (A) specific IgG and (B) specific IgA for SARS-CoV-2 antigens before (pre) and after 30 days (post) of administration of the second dose of ChadOx-1 and CoronaVac vaccine in the groups of older adults who regularly practiced (PE) or not (NPE) a physical exercise program before the pandemic period. Data are presented as median and interquartile range. ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.

Figure 5

Representation of the antibody response of each volunteer, in terms of the serum concentration (O.D. 450 nm) of specific IgG (A) and IgA (B) for SARS-CoV-2 antigens before (pre) and after 30 days (post) of administration of the second dose of ChadOx-1 and CoronaVac vaccine in the groups of older adults who regularly practiced (PE) or not (NPE) a physical exercise program before the pandemic period.

Figure 6

Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient analysis between serum levels of IgA and IgG in the volunteer groups before (pre, A,C,E) and after 30 days of the administration of the second dose (post, B,D,F) of CoronaVac (PE-Co, A,B) or ChadOx-1 (PE-Ch—C,D; NPE-Ch—E,F) vaccines.

Figure 7

Percentages of naive (CD28+CD57-), double-positive (CD28+CD57+), and senescent (CD28-CD57+) cells, both for CD4+ T cells (A,C,E, respectively) and CD8+ T cells (B,D,F, respectively) in the older adults of the PE group, both before (pre) and 30 days after (post) the administration of the second dose of vaccines ChadOx-1 (PE-Ch) or CoronaVac (PE-Co). * p < 0.5; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.