Vaccine-Induced Antibody Responses against SARS-CoV-2 Variants-Of-Concern Six Months after the BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination
Open Access
- 9 March 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Society for Microbiology in Microbiology Spectrum
- Vol. 10 (2), e0225221
- https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02252-21
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has raised concern about increased transmissibility, infectivity, and immune evasion from a vaccine and infection-induced immune responses. Although COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have proven to be highly effective against severe COVID-19 disease, the decrease in vaccine efficacy against emerged Beta and Delta variants emphasizes the need for constant monitoring of new virus lineages and studies on the persistence of vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. To analyze the dynamics of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-induced antibody responses, we followed 52 health care workers in Finland for 6 months after receiving two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine with a 3-week interval. We demonstrate that, although anti-S1 antibody levels decrease 2.3-fold compared to peak antibody levels, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persist for months after BNT162b2 vaccination. Variants D614G, Alpha, and Eta are neutralized by sera of 100% of vaccinees, whereas neutralization of Delta is 3.8-fold reduced and neutralization of Beta is 5.8-fold reduced compared to D614G. Despite this reduction, 85% of sera collected 6 months postvaccination neutralizes Delta variant. IMPORTANCE A decrease in vaccine efficacy against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants has increased the importance of assessing the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteinspecific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies. Our data show that after 6 months post two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine, antibody levels decrease yet remain detectable and capable of neutralizing emerging variants. By monitoring the vaccine-induced antibody responses, vaccination strategies and administration of booster doses can be optimized.Keywords
Funding Information
- Academy of Finland (336410, 337530)
- Academy of Finland (336439, 335527)
- Jane ja Aatos Erkon Säätiö (5360-cc2fc, 3067-84b53)
- Sigrid Juséliuksen Säätiö
- Suomen Lääketieteen Säätiö
- Turun Yliopistollisen Keskussairaalan Koulutus- ja Tutkimussäätiö
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Antibody resistance of SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.351 and B.1.1.7Nature, 2021
- Antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 decline, but do not disappear for several monthsEClinicalMedicine, 2021
- In Silico Investigation of the New UK (B.1.1.7) and South African (501Y.V2) SARS-CoV-2 Variants with a Focus at the ACE2–Spike RBD InterfaceInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021
- Identification of SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations that attenuate monoclonal and serum antibody neutralizationCell Host & Microbe, 2021
- Impact of South African 501.V2 Variant on SARS-CoV-2 Spike Infectivity and Neutralization: A Structure-based Computational AssessmentPublished by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ,2021
- Longitudinal observation and decline of neutralizing antibody responses in the three months following SARS-CoV-2 infection in humansNature Microbiology, 2020
- Primary exposure to SARS-CoV-2 protects against reinfection in rhesus macaquesScience, 2020
- Coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria: Burden and socio-medical response during the first 100 daysInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2020
- Serological and molecular findings during SARS-CoV-2 infection: the first case study in Finland, January to February 2020Eurosurveillance, 2020
- A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat originNature, 2020