SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular and humoral immunity after bivalent BA.4/5 COVID-19-vaccination in previously infected and non-infected individuals

Rebecca Urschel, Saskia Bronder, Verena Klemis, Stefanie Marx, Franziska Hielscher, Amina Abu-Omar, Candida Guckelmus, Sophie Schneitler, Christina Baum, Sören L. Becker, Barbara C. Gärtner, Urban Sester, Leonardo Martinez, Marek Widera, Tina Schmidt and Martina Sester ()
Additional contact information
Rebecca Urschel: Saarland University
Saskia Bronder: Saarland University
Verena Klemis: Saarland University
Stefanie Marx: Saarland University
Franziska Hielscher: Saarland University
Amina Abu-Omar: Saarland University
Candida Guckelmus: Saarland University
Sophie Schneitler: Saarland University
Christina Baum: Saarland University
Sören L. Becker: Saarland University
Barbara C. Gärtner: Saarland University
Urban Sester: SHG-Klinikum Völklingen
Leonardo Martinez: Department of Epidemiology
Marek Widera: University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt
Tina Schmidt: Saarland University
Martina Sester: Saarland University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Knowledge is limited as to how prior SARS-CoV-2 infection influences cellular and humoral immunity after booster-vaccination with bivalent BA.4/5-adapted mRNA-vaccines, and whether vaccine-induced immunity may indicate subsequent infection. In this observational study, individuals with prior infection (n = 64) showed higher vaccine-induced anti-spike IgG-antibodies and neutralizing titers, but the relative increase was significantly higher in non-infected individuals (n = 63). In general, both groups showed higher neutralizing activity towards the parental strain than towards Omicron-subvariants BA.1, BA.2 and BA.5. In contrast, CD4 or CD8 T cell levels towards spike from the parental strain and the Omicron-subvariants, and cytokine expression profiles were similar irrespective of prior infection. Breakthrough infections occurred more frequently among previously non-infected individuals, who had significantly lower vaccine-induced spike-specific neutralizing activity and CD4 T cell levels. In summary, we show that immunogenicity after BA.4/5-bivalent vaccination differs between individuals with and without prior infection. Moreover, our results may help to improve prediction of breakthrough infections.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47429-8

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