Abstract
The aim of our study was to investigate the immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 vaccination according to the age and medical status of vaccinated individuals. A total of 511 individuals were enrolled (median age: 54.0 years, range: 19–105); 509 of these individuals (99.6%) received two doses of BNT162b2 at an interval of 21 days. IgG and IgA responses were evaluated on days 21, 42, 90, and 180 after the first dose with chemiluminescent microparticle and ELISA assays. The cell-mediated immune responses were assessed by an automated interferon-gamma release assay. We demonstrated positive antibody responses after vaccination for the majority of enrolled participants, although waning of IgG and IgA titers was also observed over time. We further observed that the intensity of humoral responses was positively correlated with increased age and prior COVID-19 infection (either before or after the first vaccination). Moreover, we found that only a medical history of autoimmune disease could affect the intensity of IgA and IgG responses (3 weeks after the primary and secondary immunization, respectively), while development of systemic adverse reactions after the second vaccination dose was significantly associated with the height of IgG responses. Finally, we identified a clear correlation between humoral and cellular responses, suggesting that the study of cellular responses is not required as a routine laboratory test after vaccination. Our results provide useful information about the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccination with significant implications for public health vaccination strategies.
Highlights
The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has dramatically affected our world, resulting in a substantial loss of life and overwhelming health care systems [1,2]
We found that only a medical history of autoimmune disease could affect the intensity of IgA and IgG responses (3 weeks after the primary and secondary immunization, respectively), while development of systemic adverse reactions after the second vaccination dose was significantly associated with the
We found that only a medical history of autoimmune disease could affect the intensity of IgA and IgG responses (3 weeks after the primary and secondary immunization, respectively), while development of systemic adverse reactions after the second vaccination dose was significantly associated with the height of IgG responses
Summary
The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has dramatically affected our world, resulting in a substantial loss of life and overwhelming health care systems [1,2]. The development of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine rapidly became a global priority [2]. The BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer [3] was the first vaccine used in Greece against COVID-19 beginning in December 2020 following emergency use authorization by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine is a nucleoside-modified RNA formulated in lipid nanoparticles that encodes the spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 [4,5]. The S protein contains the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which binds to the angiotensinconverting enzyme 2 (ACE2) located in the target cell membrane, gaining access to the cells. The RBD is the main target of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 following a natural infection. Anti-nucleoprotein (N) antibodies can develop; these antibodies are unable to neutralize the virus in humans [2,6]
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