AUTHOR=Casado José L. , Vizcarra Pilar , Martín-Hondarza Adrián , Gómez-Maldonado Sandra , Muedra-Sánchez Magdalena , del Pino Judith , Mirabella Itria G. , Martín-Colmenarejo Sara , Haemmerle Johannes , Fernández-Escribano Marina , Vallejo Alejandro TITLE=mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 Comirnaty vaccine elicits weak and short specific memory B cell response in individuals with no previous infection JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=14 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1127379 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2023.1127379 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=Objectives

The dynamics of the memory B cell (MBC) repertoire after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is crucial for assessing long-term immunity. We compare spike-specific MBC responses between SARS-CoV-2 unexposed and recovered individuals, and their impact on breakthrough infections during follow-up.

Methods

Spike-specific MBC and T cells were quantified at inclusion and after two doses of mRNA vaccine in a longitudinal cohort of 85 naïve and 64 recovered participants (47 with positive serology and 17 with negative serology after infection).

Results

At inclusion, there was minimal spike-specific MBC in naïve SARS-CoV-2 individuals. After the second vaccine dose, MBCs were significantly boosted in naïve individuals, but reached a significantly lower level than that observed even in unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 convalescents (p<0.001). Furthermore, while the secondary memory B cell (MBC) population consisted of 100%, 33%, and 76% IgG+, IgM+, and IgA+ expressing cells, respectively, in the unexposed group, the MBC response showed a significant decrease across all isotypes. Similarly, although secondary specific IgG+, IgM+, and IgA+-MBC isotypes were found in 100%, 39%, and 76% of the unexposed participants, respectively, the magnitude of the MBC levels was significantly lower for all the isotypes compared to convalescents. Interestingly, convalescents without an initial serological response had a lower MBC response, like what found in unexposed subjects. There was an inverse correlation between specific MBCs (r=-0.307; p=0.027), especially for isotype IgA+ (r=-0.279, p=0.045), and the time since the second vaccination dose. Furthermore, during a median follow-up of 434 days (IQR, 339-495), 49 out of 149 individuals (33%) became infected, 29 in naïve and 20 in convalescent individuals, showing a significant correlation between spike-specific MBC magnitude after vaccination and the time for SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially for IgA+/IgG+ MBC isotypes.

Conclusions

MBCs were primed by mRNA-based vaccination in most cases, but SARS-CoV-2 naïve individuals had a blunted specific MBC response, and this was associated with a shorter time to breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection.