Cellular and humoral functional responses after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination differ longitudinally between naive and subjects recovered from COVID-19

• Published in: Cell reports (Cambridge) Vol. 38; no. 2; p. 110235
• Main Authors: Lozano-Rodríguez, Roberto, Valentín-Quiroga, Jaime, Avendaño-Ortiz, José, Martín-Quirós, Alejandro, Pascual-Iglesias, Alejandro, Terrón-Arcos, Verónica, Montalbán-Hernández, Karla, Casalvilla-Dueñas, José Carlos, Bergón-Gutiérrez, Marta, Alcamí, José, García-Pérez, Javier, Cascajero, Almudena, García-Garrido, Miguel Ángel, Balzo-Castillo, Álvaro del, Peinado, María, Gómez, Laura, Llorente-Fernández, Irene, Martín-Miguel, Gema, Herrero-Benito, Carmen, Benito, José Miguel, Rallón, Norma, Vela-Olmo, Carmen, López-Morejón, Lissette, Cubillos-Zapata, Carolina, Aguirre, Luis A., Fresno, Carlos del, López-Collazo, Eduardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 11.01.2022; The Authors
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing - immunology; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; antigen-specific T cell; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - virology; BNT162 Vaccine - immunology; BNT162b2 vaccine; cellular responses; Chlorocebus aethiops; COVID-19 - immunology; COVID-19 - virology; COVID-19 Vaccines - immunology; COVID-19-recovered; cytokine production; Humans; humoral responses; Immunity, Cellular - immunology; Immunity, Humoral - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology; Lymphocyte Activation - immunology; memory B cell; mRNA Vaccines - immunology; proliferation; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - immunology; spike; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - immunology; Vaccination - methods; Vaccines, Synthetic - immunology; Vero Cells; humoral responses; BNT162b2 vaccine; cytokine production; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19-recovered; cellular responses; proliferation; memory B cell; spike; antigen-specific T cell
• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110235
• ISSN: 2211-1247

We have analyzed BNT162b2 vaccine-induced immune responses in naive subjects and individuals recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), both soon after (14 days) and later after (almost 8 months) vaccination. Plasma spike (S)-specific immunoglobulins peak after one vaccine shot in individuals recovered from COVID-19, while a second dose is needed in naive subjects, although the latter group shows reduced levels all along the analyzed period. Despite how the neutralization capacity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mirrors this behavior early after vaccination, both groups show comparable neutralizing antibodies and S-specific B cell levels late post-vaccination. When studying cellular responses, naive individuals exhibit higher SARS-CoV-2-specific cytokine production, CD4+ T cell activation, and proliferation than do individuals recovered from COVID-19, with patent inverse correlations between humoral and cellular variables early post-vaccination. However, almost 8 months post-vaccination, SARS-CoV-2-specific responses are comparable between both groups. Our data indicate that a previous history of COVID-19 differentially determines the functional T and B cell-mediated responses to BNT162b2 vaccination over time. [Display omitted] •History of SARS-CoV-2 infection affects longitudinal responses to BNT162b2 vaccine•Lower humoral but enhanced cellular responses early after vaccine in naive subjects•Comparable humoral and cellular responses almost 8 months after vaccination•Similar S-specific B cells late after vaccine in those naive and recovered from COVID-19 Lozano-Rodríguez et al. show that naive subjects have enhanced SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific T reactions but reduced humoral-specific responses compared with individuals recovered from COVID-19. However, almost 8 months after vaccination, comparable specific responses are observed with equivalent levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific B cells and neutralizing antibodies.