mRNA vaccines induce durable immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Evolution of antibody immunity to SARS-CoV-2

Christian Gaebler et al.

Summary: After infection with SARS-CoV-2, antibody levels against the spike protein decrease significantly, but the number of memory B cells remain unchanged, indicating an evolving humoral response at 6.2 months after infection.

NATURE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for up to 8 months after infection

Jennifer M. Dan et al.

Summary: Different components of immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 exhibit distinct kinetics, with antibodies and spike-specific memory B cells remaining relatively stable over 6 months, while CD4(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells declining with a half-life of 3 to 5 months after infection.

SCIENCE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants escape neutralization by vaccine-induced humoral immunity

Wilfredo F. Garcia-Beltran et al.

Summary: New variants of SARS-CoV-2 show high resistance to vaccine neutralization, with some able to escape vaccine responses with just a few mutations, highlighting the importance of developing broadly protective measures against variants.

CELL (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Evidence of escape of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.351 from natural and vaccine-induced sera

Daming Zhou et al.

Summary: The race to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1, is ongoing as these variants have mutations in the spike protein, potentially leading to immune escape. A structure-function analysis of B.1.351 revealed tighter ACE2 binding and widespread evasion from monoclonal antibody neutralization, particularly driven by the E484K mutation.

CELL (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, General & Internal

Effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine up to 6 months in a large integrated health system in the USA: a retrospective cohort study

Sara Y. Tartof et al.

Summary: This study aimed to assess the overall and variant-specific effectiveness of the BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related hospital admissions among members of a healthcare system in California. The effectiveness of the vaccine remained high against hospital admissions even up to 6 months after full vaccination, despite a decline in effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infections over time, which was likely due to waning immunity rather than the delta variant escaping vaccine protection.

LANCET (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 to mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies

Dami A. Collier et al.

Summary: The B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 exhibited reduced neutralization by vaccines and antibodies from recovered COVID-19 patients, with a more substantial loss seen when introducing the E484K mutation. This mutation poses a threat to the efficacy of the BNT162b2 vaccine.

NATURE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Immunology

Profiling B cell immunodominance after SARS-CoV-2 infection reveals antibody evolution to non-neutralizing viral targets

Haley L. Dugan et al.

Summary: Analyzing the evolution of memory B cells (MBCs) against SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for understanding antibody recall upon secondary exposure. Single-cell sequencing was used to profile SARS-CoV-2-reactive B cells in COVID-19 patients, revealing enrichment of SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific cells in the memory compartment and highly mutated variable genes in endemic HCoV-reactive antibody-secreting cells. Additionally, MBCs exhibited pronounced maturation to NP and ORF8 over time.

IMMUNITY (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Neutralizing antibody levels are highly predictive of immune protection from symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection

David S. Khoury et al.

Summary: The level of neutralizing antibodies is closely related to immune protection against COVID-19, playing a crucial role in protecting against detected infection and severe infection. Studies have shown that neutralizing titers will decline over time after vaccination, leading to decreased protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

NATURE MEDICINE (2021)

Add to Collection

Letter Medicine, General & Internal

Antibody Persistence through 6 Months after the Second Dose of mRNA-1273 Vaccine for Covid-19

Nicole Doria-Rose et al.

NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

mRNA vaccination boosts cross-variant neutralizing antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection

Leonidas Stamatatos et al.

Summary: The study found that vaccination of both previously infected individuals and those who were not infected resulted in increased neutralizing antibody titers, with previously infected individuals showing a greater boost in neutralizing titers. Vaccination of naive individuals also elicited cross-neutralizing responses, but at lower titers.

SCIENCE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection rescues B and T cell responses to variants after first vaccine dose

Catherine J. Reynolds et al.

Summary: Vaccination with a single dose of BNT162b2 after prior infection with a heterologous variant substantially enhances neutralizing antibody responses against variants. In contrast, individuals without prior infection showed reduced immunity against variants after receiving a single vaccine dose.

SCIENCE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Immunology

Distinct antibody and memory B cell responses in SARS-CoV-2 naive and recovered individuals after mRNA vaccination

Rishi R. Goel et al.

Summary: mRNA vaccines exhibit robust serological and cellular priming, with naïve individuals requiring two doses for optimal antibody responses, especially against the B.1.351 variant. Memory B cells specific for spike protein and RBD were efficiently primed by vaccination, while recovered individuals showed significant boosting after the first dose, correlating with preexisting memory B cell levels. Identifying distinct responses based on prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure suggests that recovered subjects may only need one vaccine dose for peak responses, which can inform vaccine distribution strategies in resource-limited settings.

SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, Research & Experimental

IgV somatic mutation of human anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies governs neutralization and breadth of reactivity

Mayara Garcia de Mattos Barbosa et al.

Summary: Neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are considered to be the most immediate and effective treatment for severely afflicted individuals. Broadly neutralizing antibodies are especially sought due to the potential diversification of the coronavirus through mutations. A study reported a novel approach to rapidly generate potent broadly neutralizing human anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, isolating spike protein-specific memory B cells from convalescent individuals and expressing them as human monoclonal antibodies. All 43 generated human monoclonal antibodies neutralized SARS-CoV-2, with some showing high potency against spike-pseudotyped virus and variants, suggesting potential resistance to immunity evoked by infection or vaccines developed based on the Wuhan Hu-1 strain.

JCI INSIGHT (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Reduced neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 by vaccine and convalescent serum

Chang Liu et al.

Summary: Recent study examined the neutralizing ability of monoclonal antibodies, convalescent and vaccine sera against the Indian variants B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2, showing that the neutralization of these variants is reduced compared to the ancestral strains, without widespread antibody escape as seen in other variants like B.1.351.

CELL (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Immunology

Rapid induction of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells is associated with coordinated humoral and cellular immunity to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination

Mark M. Painter et al.

Summary: The study found that after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination, CD4(+) T cell responses in naïve individuals were fast, while CD8(+) T cell responses developed gradually. Th1 and Tfh cell responses after the first dose were correlated with post-boost CD8(+) T cells and neutralizing antibodies.

IMMUNITY (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Systems vaccinology of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in humans

Prabhu S. Arunachalam et al.

Summary: The study found that vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine can induce immune responses against neutralizing antibodies and CD4, CD8 T cells of SARS-CoV-2. Booster vaccines can significantly enhance innate immune responses, and different innate pathways associated with CD8 T cells and neutralizing antibodies have been identified.

NATURE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines induce persistent human germinal centre responses

Jackson S. Turner et al.

Summary: SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines induce a persistent germinal centre B cell response in humans, leading to the generation of robust humoral immunity, especially more significant in individuals previously infected with the virus.

NATURE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Rapid and stable mobilization of CD8+ T cells by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine

Valerie Oberhardt et al.

Summary: After vaccination, CD8(+) T cells become important effector cells in providing early protection, being effectively mobilized one week after primary vaccination and maintaining stability after booster vaccination. Compared with natural infection, vaccine-induced CD8(+) T cells exhibit similar functional capacities but with a different subset distribution.

NATURE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Naturally enhanced neutralizing breadth against SARS-CoV-2 one year after infection

Zijun Wang et al.

Summary: Despite challenges posed by COVID-19 variants, convalescent individuals receiving mRNA vaccines exhibit robust and long-lasting immune responses against circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, providing hope for effective control of the pandemic.

NATURE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, General & Internal

Covid-19 Breakthrough Infections in Vaccinated Health Care Workers

Moriah Bergwerk et al.

Summary: Among fully vaccinated health care workers, breakthrough infections with SARS-CoV-2 were correlated with neutralizing antibody titers during the peri-infection period. Most breakthrough infections were mild or asymptomatic, although persistent symptoms did occur.

NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Sequence signatures of two public antibody clonotypes that bind SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain

Timothy J. C. Tan et al.

Summary: This study identified two common IGHV3-53/3-66 RBD antibody clonotypes with distinct sequence motifs in CDR H3 that appear to be related to different light chain pairings. Additionally, the authors demonstrated that the Y58F somatic hypermutation increases the binding affinity of IGHV3-53/3-66 RBD antibodies with a short CDR H3.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Hospitalizations Among Persons Aged ≥16 Years, by Vaccination Status — Los Angeles County, California, May 1–July 25, 2021

Jennifer B. Griffin et al.

MMWR-MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Immunology

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern partially escape humoral but not T- cell responses in COVID-19 convalescent donors and vaccinees

Daryl Geers et al.

Summary: This study suggests that some variants might partially escape humoral immunity induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection or BNT162b2 vaccination, but the S-specific CD4(+) T-cell activation is not affected by the mutations in the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants.

SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, Research & Experimental

Health care worker seromonitoring reveals complex relationships between common coronavirus antibodies and COVID-19 symptom duration

Sigrid Gouma et al.

Summary: Recent studies suggest that common coronavirus infections may reduce the severity of COVID-19 upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Individuals with higher beta coronavirus antibody titers experienced significantly reduced symptom duration following SARS-CoV-2 infection. While cross-reactive antibodies elicited by past infections do not provide protection, cellular immune responses may transiently reduce symptom duration.

JCI INSIGHT (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Cell Biology

Longitudinal analysis shows durable and broad immune memory after SARS-CoV-2 infection with persisting antibody responses and memory B and T cells

Kristen W. Cohen et al.

Summary: The study reveals that COVID-19 patients have durable broad-based immune responses, including the continuous generation of antibodies, memory B cells, and polyfunctional T cells, which help to rapidly generate antibody responses against virus re-exposure or vaccination.

CELL REPORTS MEDICINE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Cell Biology

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on the total CD4+ and CD8+ T cell reactivity in infected or vaccinated individuals

Alison Tarke et al.

Summary: The study showed that SARS-CoV-2 variants do not significantly disrupt total T cell reactivity, although decreases in response frequency of 10%-22% were observed under certain assay/VOC combinations. This underscores the importance of actively monitoring T cell responses in the context of SARS-CoV-2 evolution.

CELL REPORTS MEDICINE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, Research & Experimental

First-dose mRNA vaccination is sufficient to reactivate immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 in subjects who have recovered from COVID-19

Alessio Mazzoni et al.

Summary: The study suggests that COVID-19-recovered individuals may not need a second vaccine dose to further enhance immune response, while naive individuals require a second dose for increased immunity. This indicates that redirecting vaccine doses from COVID-19-recovered individuals to naive individuals could shorten the time to achieve herd immunity.

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION (2021)

Add to Collection

Review Immunology

Prospects for durable immune control of SARS-CoV-2 and prevention of reinfection

Deborah Cromer et al.

Summary: The duration of immunity to COVID-19 and the risk of reinfection remain unclear. Immunity is crucial for long-term control of the pandemic, but studies suggest a decline in antibody responses and an increase in documented cases of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2. Understanding memory responses and immune control dynamics is essential for designing vaccines and predicting the future trajectory of the pandemic.

NATURE REVIEWS IMMUNOLOGY (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Immunology

The first 12 months of COVID-19: a timeline of immunological insights

Thiago Carvalho et al.

Summary: The timeline of major scientific discoveries during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the collaborative efforts that led to rapid progress in understanding the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. It showcases the unprecedented convergence of research efforts on COVID-19 and identifies gaps in knowledge for future investigations.

NATURE REVIEWS IMMUNOLOGY (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Cell Biology

Comprehensive analysis of T cell immunodominance and immunoprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 epitopes in COVID-19 cases

Alison Tarke et al.

Summary: By studying T cell responses in 99 convalescent COVID-19 cases, we identified various HLA-restricted epitopes derived from SARS-CoV-2 and observed distinct patterns of immunodominance. The epitopes were combined into megapools to facilitate the identification and quantification of virus-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells.

CELL REPORTS MEDICINE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology