Immunological imprinting of humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in children

Alexander C. Dowell, Tara Lancaster, Rachel Bruton, Georgina Ireland, Christopher Bentley, Panagiota Sylla, Jianmin Zuo, Sam Scott, Azar Jadir, Jusnara Begum, Thomas Roberts, Christine Stephens, Shabana Ditta, Rebecca Shepherdson, Annabel A. Powell, Andrew J. Brent, Bernadette Brent, Frances Baawuah, Ifeanyichukwu Okike, Joanne Beckmann, Shazaad Ahmad, Felicity Aiano, Joanna Garstang, Mary E. Ramsay, Rafaq Azad, Dagmar Waiblinger, Brian Willett, John Wright, Shamez N. Ladhani () and Paul Moss ()
Additional contact information
Alexander C. Dowell: University of Birmingham
Tara Lancaster: University of Birmingham
Rachel Bruton: University of Birmingham
Georgina Ireland: UK Health Security Agency
Christopher Bentley: University of Birmingham
Panagiota Sylla: University of Birmingham
Jianmin Zuo: University of Birmingham
Sam Scott: MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Azar Jadir: University of Birmingham
Jusnara Begum: University of Birmingham
Thomas Roberts: University of Birmingham
Christine Stephens: University of Birmingham
Shabana Ditta: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Rebecca Shepherdson: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Annabel A. Powell: UK Health Security Agency
Andrew J. Brent: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bernadette Brent: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Frances Baawuah: UK Health Security Agency
Ifeanyichukwu Okike: UK Health Security Agency
Joanne Beckmann: East London NHS Foundation Trust
Shazaad Ahmad: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Felicity Aiano: UK Health Security Agency
Joanna Garstang: Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust
Mary E. Ramsay: UK Health Security Agency
Rafaq Azad: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Dagmar Waiblinger: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Brian Willett: MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
John Wright: Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Shamez N. Ladhani: UK Health Security Agency
Paul Moss: University of Birmingham

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 are globally dominant and infection rates are very high in children. We measure immune responses following Omicron BA.1/2 infection in children aged 6-14 years and relate this to prior and subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. Primary Omicron infection elicits a weak antibody response with poor functional neutralizing antibodies. Subsequent Omicron reinfection or COVID-19 vaccination elicits increased antibody titres with broad neutralisation of Omicron subvariants. Prior pre-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 virus infection or vaccination primes for robust antibody responses following Omicron infection but these remain primarily focussed against ancestral variants. Primary Omicron infection thus elicits a weak antibody response in children which is boosted after reinfection or vaccination. Cellular responses are robust and broadly equivalent in all groups, providing protection against severe disease irrespective of SARS-CoV-2 variant. Immunological imprinting is likely to act as an important determinant of long-term humoral immunity, the future clinical importance of which is unknown.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39575-2

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