Differences in B-Cell Immunophenotypes and Neutralizing Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 After Administration of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) Vaccine in Individuals with and without Prior COVID-19 - A Prospective Cohort Study

• Published in: Journal of inflammation research Vol. 15; pp. 4449 - 4466
• Main Authors: Morales-Nunez, Jose Javier, Garcia-Chagollan, Mariel, Munoz-Valle, Jose Francisco, Diaz-Perez, Saul Alberto, Torres-Hernandez, Paola Carolina, Rodriguez-Reyes, Sarai Citlalic, Santoscoy-Ascencio, Guillermo, Julio Quevedo, Jose Sierra Garcia de, Hernandez-Bello, Jorge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Macclesfield Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Analysis; Antibodies; Antigens; b cell; B cells; bnt162b2; Cohort analysis; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Flow cytometry; Health aspects; Immune response; Immune response (humoral); Immune system; Immunological memory; immunophenotype; Infections; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Medical personnel; Memory cells; Original Research; Pharmaceutical industry; Plasma; Plasma cells; Population; sars-cov-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Statistical analysis; Vaccination; vaccine; Vaccines; United States; Mexico; United States > US
• ISSN: 1178-7031; 1178-7031
• DOI: 10.2147/JIR.S374304

Purpose: Understanding the humoral immune response dynamics carried out by B cells in COVID-19 vaccination is little explored; therefore, we analyze the changes induced in the different cellular subpopulations of B cells after vaccination with BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech). Methods: This prospective cohort study evaluated thirty-nine immunized health workers (22 with prior COVID-19 and 17 without prior COVID-19) and ten subjects not vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 (control group). B cell subpopulations (transitional, mature, naive, memory, plasmablasts, early plasmablast, and double-negative B cells) and neutralizing antibody levels were analyzed and quantified by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. Results: The dynamics of the B cells subpopulations after vaccination showed the following pattern: the percentage of transitional B cells was higher in the prior COVID-19 group (p < 0.05), whereas virgin B cells were more prevalent in the group without prior COVID-19 (p < 0.05), mature B cells predominated in both vaccinated groups (p < 0.01), and memory B cells, plasmablasts, early plasmablasts, and double-negative B cells were higher in the not vaccinated group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: BNT162b2 vaccine induces changes in B cell subpopulations, especially generating plasma cells and producing neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. However, the previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 does not significantly alter the dynamics of these subpopulations but induces more rapid and optimal antibody production. Keywords: B cell, BNT162b2, SARS-CoV-2, immunophenotype, vaccine