COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 28;12(1):3991. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24285-4.

Abstract

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants has raised concerns of reduced vaccine efficacy and increased re-infection rates. Here we show, that after the second dose, the sera of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers (n = 180) effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant, whereas the neutralization of the B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced. Despite the reduction, 92% of the seronegative vaccinees have a neutralization titre of >20 for the B.1.351 variant indicating some protection. The vaccinees' neutralization titres exceeded those of recovered non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our work provides evidence that the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine induces cross-neutralization of at least some of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies / blood*
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies / immunology
  • COVID-19 / blood
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / immunology*
  • Cross Protection / immunology
  • Female
  • Finland / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Secondary / methods
  • Immunization, Secondary / statistics & numerical data
  • Immunogenicity, Vaccine*
  • Male
  • Mass Vaccination / methods
  • Mass Vaccination / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Neutralization Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Reinfection / immunology
  • Reinfection / prevention & control
  • Reinfection / virology
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • BNT162 Vaccine