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Overview of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immune Response Six Months after BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine
Claudia Gandolfo1, Gabriele Anichini1, Marco Mugnaini2
1Virology Unit, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Azienda, Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, V. le Bracci, 16, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Background:
We have designed a prospective study aiming to monitor the immune response in 178 health care workers six months after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination.
Methods:
The humoral immune response of all subjects was evaluated by chemiluminescence (CMIA); in 60 serum samples, a live virus-based neutralization assay was also tested. Moreover, 6 months after vaccination, B- and T-cell subsets from 20 subjects were observed by FACS analysis after restimulation with the trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein as an antigen, thus mimicking reinfection in vitro.
Results:
A significant decrease of circulating IgG levels and neutralizing antibodies over time were observed. Moreover, six months after vaccination, a variable T-cell immune response after in vitro antigen stimulation of PBMC was observed. On the contrary, the analysis of B-cell response showed a shift from unswitched to switched memory B-cells and an increase of Th17 cells.
Conclusions:
Although the variability of the CD4+ and CD8+ immune response and an antibody decline was observed among vaccinated subjects, the increase of switched memory B-cells and Th17 cells, correlating with the presence of neutralizing antibodies, opened the debate on the correct timing of vaccination.
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