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. 2023 Apr 28;12(9):3172.
doi: 10.3390/jcm12093172.

Humoral and Cellular Response and Associated Variables Nine Months following BNT162b2 Vaccination in Healthcare Workers

Natalia Syrimi  1   2 , Flora Sourri  2 , Maria-Christina Giannakopoulou  3   4 , Dimitrios Karamanis  5   6 , Asterios Pantousas  7 , Persefoni Georgota  8 , Eleni Rokka  9 , Zoe Vladeni  2 , Euaggelia Tsiantoula  10 , Evangelia Soukara  3 , Nikoletta Lavda  3 , Dimitrios Gkaragkanis  3 , Aikaterini Zisaki  2 , Panagiotis Vakalidis  10 , Vasiliki Goula  10 , Evdokia Loupou  10 , Leonidas Palaiodimos  11 , Dimitrios Hatzigeorgiou  4
Affiliations

Humoral and Cellular Response and Associated Variables Nine Months following BNT162b2 Vaccination in Healthcare Workers

Natalia Syrimi et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to illustrate the trajectory of humoral and cellular immunity nine months after primary vaccination with the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine among 189 healthcare workers (HCWs). Additionally, we endeavored to identify correlations between immunity parameters and a number of common variables and comorbidities. A total of 189 healthcare workers (HCWs), vaccinated against COVID-19, were finally included in the study. All of the subjects had received two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine; had undergone antibody tests one, four and nine months post-vaccination; and had completed a medical questionnaire. Further samples taken at nine months were tested for cellular immunity. No participants had evidence of COVID-19 infection pre- or post-vaccination. An anti-S1 receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody assay was used to assess humoral response, and cellular immunity was estimated with an INF-γ release assay (IGRA). Statistical analysis was performed using STATA. We report a statistically significant antibody drop over time. Being above the age of 40 or a smoker reduces the rise of antibodies by 37% and 28%, respectively. More than half of the participants did not demonstrate T-cell activation at nine months. Female gender and antibody levels at four months predispose detection of cellular immunity at nine months post-immunization. This study furthers the qualitative, quantitative, and temporal understanding of the immune response to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and the effect of correlated factors.

Keywords: COVID-19; INF-γ release assay; antibodies; cellular immunity; humoral immunity; mRNA vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study design.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Box plot and bar plots (median values) of ln (antibody titers) variance one, four and nine months after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine and risk factors (age, gender, smoking status).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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