BACKGROUND: Vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies are key in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. However, delays of boost immunization due to limited availability of vaccines may leave individuals vulnerable to infection and prolonged or severe disease courses. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC), B.1.1.7 (United Kingdom), B.1.351 (South Africa), and P.1 (Brazil), may exacerbate this issue, as the latter two are able to evade control by antibodies. METHODS: We assessed humoral and T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 WT, VOC and endemic human coronaviruses (hCoV) that were induced after single and double vaccination with BNT162b2. RESULTS: Despite readily detectable IgG against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein at day 14 after a single vaccination, inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 S-driven host cell entry was weak and particularly low for the B.1.351 variant. Frequencies of SARS-CoV-2 WT and VOC specific T cells were low in many vaccinees after application of a single dose and influenced by immunity against endemic hCoV. The second vaccination significantly boosted T cell frequencies reactive for WT, B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants. CONCLUSION: These results call into question whether neutralizing antibodies significantly contribute to protection against COVID-19 upon single vaccination and suggest that cellular immunity is central for the early defenses against COVID-19.
- Stankov, M. V.
- Cossmann, A.
- Bonifacius, A.
- Dopfer-Jablonka, A.
- Ramos, G. M.
- Gödecke, N.
- Scharff, A. Z.
- Happle, C.
- Boeck, A. L.
- Tran, A. T.
- Pink, I.
- Hoeper, M. M.
- Blasczyk, R.
- Winkler, M. S.
- Nehlmeier, I.
- Kempf, A.
- Hofmann-Winkler, H.
- Hoffmann, M.
- Eiz-Vesper, B.
- Pöhlmann, S.
- Behrens, G. M. N.
Keywords
- SARS-CoV-2
- T cells
- antibodies
- vaccination
