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. 2023 Dec 15;19(3):2288282.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2288282. Epub 2023 Dec 1.

The immunogenicity and the safety of the adjuvanted glycoprotein E (gE)-based recombinant vaccine against herpes zoster (RZV) in cancer patients during immunotherapy

Angioletta Lasagna  1 , Dalila Mele  2 , Federica Bergami  2 , Domiziana Alaimo  1 , Chiara Dauccia  1 , Nicolò Alessio  1 , Giuditta Comolli  2 , Francesca Pasi  1 , Alba Muzzi  3 , Viola Novelli  3 , Fausto Baldanti  2   4 , Paolo Pedrazzoli  1   5 , Irene Cassaniti  2   4
Affiliations

The immunogenicity and the safety of the adjuvanted glycoprotein E (gE)-based recombinant vaccine against herpes zoster (RZV) in cancer patients during immunotherapy

Angioletta Lasagna et al. Hum Vaccin Immunother. .

Abstract

Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by the reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus (VZV). Severe immunocompromising conditions, such as solid tumors, have been largely associated with an increased risk for HZ due to waning VZV-specific cellular immunity. With the approval of the adjuvanted glycoprotein E (gE)-based recombinant vaccine (RZV; Shingrix™, GSK) also in immunocompromised subjects, HZ is considered a vaccine-preventable disease changing perspectives in immunocompromised subjects. To date, no clinical trial has evaluated the immunogenicity in the patients with cancer undergoing immunotherapy. In this study, we describe the humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in 38 cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and receiving RZV. We used samples collected at baseline (T0), 3 weeks (T2), and 6 months (T3) after the complete RV vaccination schedule. Our data showed that a significant proportion (40,5%) of RZV recipients mounted a stronger humoral and cell-mediated immune response at 3 weeks (T2) after complete RZV vaccination schedule. Interestingly, both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were mostly stable over 6 months (T3). Interestingly, the overall IFNγ-producing lymphocytes was mainly associated with CD4 T cell response (p = .0012). In conclusion, data from our pilot study suggest a strong and long-lasting immunogenicity of RZV in ICI-treated patients. Prospective analyses at 1 year after vaccination will be performed in order to evaluate the long-term persistence of humoral and cell-mediated response against RZV.

Keywords: CD4; CD8; PHN; RZV; cancer; herpes zoster; immunotherapy; vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The flowchart illustrates the sampling schedule of the patients enrolled in the study. RZV is given as a two-dose series as shown in the figure.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Evaluation of T cell response.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Humoral and cell-mediated response after the two doses of the adjuvanted glycoprotein E (gE)-based recombinant vaccine against Herpes zoster (RZV).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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