The BioNTech / Pfizer vaccine BNT162b2 induces class-switched SARS-CoV-2-specific plasma cells and potential memory B cells as well as IgG and IgA serum and IgG saliva antibodies upon the first immunization
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Abstract
To treat the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that enters the body through the respiratory tract, different vaccines in particular against the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S)-protein have been developed or are in the development process. For the BioNTech / Pfizer mRNA vaccine BNT162b2, which is injected twice, protection against COVID-19 has been described for the first weeks after the second vaccination. The underlying mechanisms of defense and the long-term effectiveness of this vaccine against COVID-19 are currently under investigation.
In addition to the induction of systemic antibodies (Abs), Ab responses in the respiratory tract would help to form a first line of defense against SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, protection depends on Fab-part-dependent neutralizing capacities, however, Fc-part-mediated effector mechanisms might also be important. Long-term defense would be based on the induction of long-lived antibody-producing plasma cells (PCs) and memory B cells.
Here, we established different assays to analyze anti-SARS-CoV-2-S IgG and IgA Abs in blood serum and saliva as well as SARS-CoV-2-S1-reactive IgG and IgA PCs and potential memory B cells in the blood of individuals upon their first immunization with BNT162b2.
We show that the vaccine induces in particular anti-SARS-CoV-2-S IgG1 and IgG3 as well as IgA1 and in some individuals also IgG2 and IgA2 serum Abs. In the saliva, we found no anti-SARS-CoV-2-S IgA, but instead IgG Abs. Furthermore, we found SARS-CoV-2-S reactive IgG+ blood PCs and potential memory B cells as well as SARS-CoV-2-S reactive IgA+ PCs and/or potential memory B cells in some individuals.
Our data suggest that the vaccine induces a promising CD4+ T cell-dependent systemic IgG1 and IgG3 Ab response with IgG+ PCs and potential memory B cells. In addition to the systemic IgG response, the systemic IgA and saliva IgG response might help to improve a first line of defense in the respiratory tract against SARS-CoV-2 and its mutants.
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SciScore for 10.1101/2021.03.10.21252001: (What is this?)
Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.
Table 1: Rigor
Institutional Review Board Statement Consent: Blood samples and saliva were collected after obtaining written informed consent under the local ethics board–approved protocols 19-019(A) and 20-123 (Ethics Committee of the University of Lübeck, Germany).
IRB: Blood samples and saliva were collected after obtaining written informed consent under the local ethics board–approved protocols 19-019(A) and 20-123 (Ethics Committee of the University of Lübeck, Germany).Randomization not detected. Blinding not detected. Power Analysis not detected. Sex as a biological variable not detected. Table 2: Resources
Software and Algorithms Sentences Resources Flow Cytometry Standard (FCS) 3.0 files were analyzed with FlowJo … SciScore for 10.1101/2021.03.10.21252001: (What is this?)
Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.
Table 1: Rigor
Institutional Review Board Statement Consent: Blood samples and saliva were collected after obtaining written informed consent under the local ethics board–approved protocols 19-019(A) and 20-123 (Ethics Committee of the University of Lübeck, Germany).
IRB: Blood samples and saliva were collected after obtaining written informed consent under the local ethics board–approved protocols 19-019(A) and 20-123 (Ethics Committee of the University of Lübeck, Germany).Randomization not detected. Blinding not detected. Power Analysis not detected. Sex as a biological variable not detected. Table 2: Resources
Software and Algorithms Sentences Resources Flow Cytometry Standard (FCS) 3.0 files were analyzed with FlowJo software version X 0.7 (BD Biosciences). FlowJosuggested: (FlowJo, RRID:SCR_008520)Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism v6.0 ( GraphPad Prismsuggested: (GraphPad Prism, RRID:SCR_002798)(GraphPad, La Jolla, CA). GraphPadsuggested: (GraphPad Prism, RRID:SCR_002798)Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).
Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.
Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.
Results from JetFighter: Please consider improving the rainbow (“jet”) colormap(s) used on page 28. At least one figure is not accessible to readers with colorblindness and/or is not true to the data, i.e. not perceptually uniform.
Results from rtransparent:- Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
- Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
- No protocol registration statement was detected.
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