Abstract
COVID-19 vaccines emerging from different platforms differ in efficacy, duration of protection, and side effects. To maximize the benefits of vaccination, we explored the utility of employing a heterologous prime-boost strategy in which different combinations of the four types of leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are undergoing clinical trials in China were tested in a mouse model. Our results showed that sequential immunization with adenovirus vectored vaccine followed by inactivated/recombinant subunit/mRNA vaccine administration specifically increased levels of neutralizing antibodies and promoted the modulation of antibody responses to predominantly neutralizing antibodies. Moreover, a heterologous prime-boost regimen with an adenovirus vector vaccine also improved Th1-biased T cell responses. Our results provide new ideas for the development and application of COVID-19 vaccines to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Keywords:
COVID-19 vaccine; Heterologous prime-boost; T cell response; neutralizing antibody; th1/th2 balance.
MeSH terms
-
Adenovirus Vaccines / administration & dosage
-
Adenovirus Vaccines / immunology*
-
Animals
-
Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
-
Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
-
Antibodies, Viral / blood*
-
Antibodies, Viral / immunology
-
COVID-19 / prevention & control
-
COVID-19 Vaccines / adverse effects
-
COVID-19 Vaccines / immunology*
-
Immunization, Secondary / methods*
-
Interferon-gamma / blood
-
Lymphocyte Count
-
Mice
-
Mice, Inbred BALB C
-
SARS-CoV-2 / immunology
-
T-Lymphocytes / immunology
-
T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
-
Vaccination / adverse effects
-
Vaccines, Subunit / administration & dosage
-
Vaccines, Subunit / immunology*
-
Vaccines, Synthetic / administration & dosage
-
Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology*
-
mRNA Vaccines
Substances
-
Adenovirus Vaccines
-
Antibodies, Neutralizing
-
Antibodies, Viral
-
COVID-19 Vaccines
-
IFNG protein, mouse
-
Vaccines, Subunit
-
Vaccines, Synthetic
-
Interferon-gamma
Grants and funding
This work was supported by Major Special Projects Funding Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China. [grant number 2020YFC0860500].