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01-12-2021 | Vaccination | Research article

Humoral immune responses during SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine administration in seropositive and seronegative individuals

Authors: Elizabeth Fraley, Cas LeMaster, Eric Geanes, Dithi Banerjee, Santosh Khanal, Elin Grundberg, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Todd Bradley

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

The global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Currently, there are three approved vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in the USA, including two based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that has demonstrated high vaccine efficacy. We sought to characterize humoral immune responses, at high resolution, during immunization with the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine in individuals with or without prior history of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

We determined antibody responses after each dose of the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in individuals who had no prior history of SARS-CoV-2 infection (seronegative) and individuals that had previous viral infection 30–60 days prior to first vaccination (seropositive). To do this, we used both an antibody isotype-specific multiplexed bead-based binding assays targeting multiple SARS-CoV-2 viral protein antigens and an assay that identified potential SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody levels. Moreover, we mapped antibody epitope specificity after immunization using SARS-CoV-2 spike protein peptide arrays.

Results

Antibody levels were significantly higher after a single dose in seropositive individuals compared to seronegative individuals and were comparable to levels observed in seronegative individuals after two doses. While IgG was boosted by vaccination for both seronegative and seropositive individuals, only seronegative individuals had increased IgA or IgM antibody titers after primary immunization. We identified immunodominant peptides targeted on both SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 and S2 subunits after vaccination.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrated the antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 immunization in seropositive and seronegative individuals and provide support for the concept of using prior infection history as a guide for the consideration of future vaccination regimens. Moreover, we identified key epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that are targeted by antibodies after vaccination that could guide future vaccine and immune correlate development.

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Title: Humoral immune responses during SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine administration in seropositive and seronegative individuals
Authors: Elizabeth Fraley
Cas LeMaster
Eric Geanes
Dithi Banerjee
Santosh Khanal
Elin Grundberg
Rangaraj Selvarangan
Todd Bradley
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Vaccination
SARS-CoV-2
Published in: BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-021-02055-9

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Humoral immune responses during SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine administration in seropositive and seronegative individuals

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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