SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Induces Robust Specific and Cross-reactive IgG and Unequal Strain-specific Neutralizing Antibodies in Naïve and Previously Infected Recipients

Abstract

With the advance of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the outlook for overcoming the global COVID-19 pandemic has improved. However, understanding of immunity and protection offered by the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against circulating variants of concern (VOC) is rapidly evolving. We investigated the mRNA vaccine-induced antibody responses against the referent WIV04 (Wuhan) strain, circulating variants, and human endemic coronaviruses in 168 naive and previously infected people at three-time points. Samples were collected prior to vaccination, after the first and after the second doses of one of the two available mRNA-based vaccines. After full vaccination, both naive and previously infected participants developed comparable robust SARS-CoV-2 specific spike IgG levels, modest IgM and IgA binding antibodies, and varying degrees of HCoV cross-reactive antibodies. However, the strength and frequency of neutralizing antibodies produced in naive people were significantly lower than in the previously infected group. We also found that 1/3rd of previously infected people had undetectable neutralizing antibodies after the first vaccine dose; 40% of this group developed neutralizing antibodies after the second dose. In all subjects neutralizing antibodies produced against the B.1.351 and P.1 variants were weaker than those produced against the reference and B.1.1.7 strains. Our findings provide support for future booster vaccinations modified to be active against the circulating variants.