SARS-CoV-2 vaccination induces mucosal antibody responses in previously infected individuals

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 5135 - 8
• Main Authors: Sano, Kaori, Bhavsar, Disha, Singh, Gagandeep, Floda, Daniel, Srivastava, Komal, Gleason, Charles, Carreño, Juan Manuel, Simon, Viviana, Krammer, Florian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.09.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/250/2152; 631/250/590/2293; 631/326/596/4130; 692/699/255/2514; 82/1; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral; Antibody Formation; Antigens; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - immunology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 vaccines; COVID-19 Vaccines - immunology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Immune response; Immune system; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; Infections; Influenza; Medicine; mRNA; Mucosa; multidisciplinary; Pandemics; Respiratory diseases; RNA, Messenger; Saliva; SARS-CoV-2 - immunology; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; Vaccination; Viral diseases
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32389-8

Immune responses at the respiratory mucosal interface are critical to prevent respiratory infections but it is unclear to what extent antigen specific mucosal secretory IgA (SIgA) antibodies are induced by mRNA vaccination in humans. Here we analyze paired serum and saliva samples from patients with and without prior coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at multiple time points pre and post severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccination. Our results suggest mucosal SIgA responses induced by mRNA vaccination are impacted by pre-existing immunity. Indeed, vaccination induced a minimal mucosal SIgA response in individuals without pre-exposure to SARS-CoV-2 while SIgA induction after vaccination was more efficient in patients with a history of COVID-19. Prior exposure to infectious agents can impact the vaccination induced immune response. Here the authors show prior SARS-CoV-2 infection results in more efficient induction of mucosal SARS-CoV-2 secretory IgA antibody following mRNA vaccination.