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Dynamics of spike-and nucleocapsid specific immunity during long-term follow-up and vaccination of SARS-CoV-2 convalescents

Author

Listed:
  • Nina Koerber

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Alina Priller

    (Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Sarah Yazici

    (Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Tanja Bauer

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site)

  • Cho-Chin Cheng

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Hrvoje Mijočević

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Hannah Wintersteller

    (Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Samuel Jeske

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Emanuel Vogel

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Martin Feuerherd

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Kathrin Tinnefeld

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Christof Winter

    (Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Jürgen Ruland

    (Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Markus Gerhard

    (Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Bernhard Haller

    (Institute of Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Catharina Christa

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Otto Zelger

    (Institute of Sports Medicine, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Hedwig Roggendorf

    (Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Martin Halle

    (Institute of Sports Medicine, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Johanna Erber

    (Department of Internal Medicine II, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Paul Lingor

    (Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine)

  • Oliver Keppler

    (German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site
    Max von Pettenkofer Institute & Gene Center, Department of Virology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich)

  • Dietmar Zehn

    (Institute of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Technical University of Munich, School of Life Sciences)

  • Ulrike Protzer

    (Institute of Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München/Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site)

  • Percy A. Knolle

    (Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site)

Abstract

Anti-viral immunity continuously declines over time after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we characterize the dynamics of anti-viral immunity during long-term follow-up and after BNT162b2 mRNA-vaccination in convalescents after asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection. Virus-specific and virus-neutralizing antibody titers rapidly declined in convalescents over 9 months after infection, whereas virus-specific cytokine-producing polyfunctional T cells persisted, among which IL-2-producing T cells correlated with virus-neutralizing antibody titers. Among convalescents, 5% of individuals failed to mount long-lasting immunity after infection and showed a delayed response to vaccination compared to 1% of naïve vaccinees, but successfully responded to prime/boost vaccination. During the follow-up period, 8% of convalescents showed a selective increase in virus-neutralizing antibody titers without accompanying increased frequencies of circulating SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells. The same convalescents, however, responded to vaccination with simultaneous increase in antibody and T cell immunity revealing the strength of mRNA-vaccination to increase virus-specific immunity in convalescents.

Suggested Citation

  • Nina Koerber & Alina Priller & Sarah Yazici & Tanja Bauer & Cho-Chin Cheng & Hrvoje Mijočević & Hannah Wintersteller & Samuel Jeske & Emanuel Vogel & Martin Feuerherd & Kathrin Tinnefeld & Christof Wi, 2022. "Dynamics of spike-and nucleocapsid specific immunity during long-term follow-up and vaccination of SARS-CoV-2 convalescents," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-27649-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27649-y
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