Dynamic impact of bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters on systemic and mucosal antibody and T cell immunity
Abstract
Abstract COVID-19 vaccines were updated to address immune escape from variants of concern (VOC). We explored the impact of ancestral/BA.1 bivalent mRNA booster vaccination (Autumn 2022) on peripheral and nasal antibody and T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 in an observational cohort of 133 healthcare workers, building on previous longitudinal vaccination studies. We demonstrate that maintenance of antibody and T-cell responses up to eighteen months following the third vaccine is at least partially driven by intercurrent infection. Boosting with the bivalent vaccine increases the breadth of circulating and nasal antibodies to spike, which waned over time but was still detectable six months post-dose. T-cell responses are well maintained and highly cross-reactive to VOCs irrespective of booster vaccination. Vaccination strongly boosted nasal IgG, but this was short-lived compared to circulating antibodies. Overall, ongoing COVID-19 vaccination provides benefit, boosting immunity in individuals who have not been recently infected, but new strategies may be needed to provide longer-term nasal immunity.
Article Details
Authors (44)
Barbara Kronsteiner
NDM Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Melissa Govender
Chang Liu
Aiste Dijokaite-Guraliuc
Mohammad Ali
Jennifer Hill
Martha Zewdie
Andrew Cross
James Austin
Amyleigh Watts
Adrienn Angyal
Hailey Hornsby
Priyanka Abraham
Sandra Adele
Srija Moulik
Jodie Harte
Alexander Hargreaves
Yasmin Jiwa
Muneeswaran Selvaraj
Lizzie Stafford
Anni Jamsen
Susan L. Dobson
Sofia Sampaio
Callum Halstead
Amy Steel
Stephanie Longet
Siân E. Faustini
Clinical Immunology Services, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Shona C. Moore
Juthathip Mongkolsapaya
Daniel G. Wootton
James E. D. Thaventhiran
Susan Hopkins
Victoria Hall
Katie Jeffery
Eleanor Barnes
Christopher J. A. Duncan
Rebecca P. Payne
Alex G. Richter
Thushan I. de Silva
Lance Turtle
Institute of Infection, Ecological and Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool & Liverpool University Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust
Gavin R. Screaton
Paul Klenerman
Translational Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Miles Carroll
Susanna J. Dunachie