Immuno-Microbial Signature of Vaccine-Induced Immunity against SARS-CoV-2

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Microbiome Research
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Individual responses to vaccines vary significantly, impacting public health outcomes.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for optimizing vaccine effectiveness and disease control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate inter-individual differences in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine responses.
• To examine the relationship between pre-vaccination immunological and gut microbiota features and post-vaccination neutralizing antibody levels.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study involving 14 adults, collecting blood and stool samples pre- and post-vaccination.
• Post-hoc grouping into high (HN) and low (LN) neutralizing antibody responders at 10 weeks.
• Bivariate correlation analysis to assess associations between gut microbiota, inflammation, and neutralization capacity.

Main Results:

• Significant pre-vaccination differences in gut microbiome composition and inflammation distinguished future vaccine responders.
• Higher abundance of Prevotella in the LN group, negatively correlated with IL-17 but positively with HMGB-1.
• A significant inverse correlation was found between pre-vaccination HMGB-1 levels and neutralization capacity at 10 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Pre-vaccination gut microbial signatures and inflammation, specifically HMGB-1, may serve as predictive biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine effectiveness.
• These findings highlight the potential of targeting the gut microbiome to enhance vaccine-induced immunity.