File:Immune responses elicited by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines.webp

English: Immune responses elicited by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines are administered intramuscularly (1). Either mRNA-LNPs or locally produced antigen are taken up by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) (2), such as dendritic cells (DCs). These APCs then traffic to the lymph nodes (3) where they are able to prime CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes (4). The events in (2)–(4) are reviewed in detail in [36]. The priming of CD8 T cells can induce the formation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (5b) which are capable of directly killing infected cells. Antigen-primed CD4 T cells can differentiate into Th1 cells (5a) or T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Tfh cells help to initiate a germinal center (GC) reaction (6). GC reactions induced by vaccination will result in the formation of affinity-matured memory B cells (MBCs) and the antibody-secreting long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs). Tfh cells can be skewed towards either a Th1 or Th2 phenotype, which will affect the class switching of antibodies (Abs) produced by LLPCs to either Th1- or Th2-associated Abs (6).