npj Vaccines (Jul 2022)

Comparative analysis of human immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or Ad26.COV2.S

  • Dominique J. Barbeau,
  • Judith M. Martin,
  • Emily Carney,
  • Emily Dougherty,
  • Joshua D. Doyle,
  • Terence S. Dermody,
  • Alejandro Hoberman,
  • John V. Williams,
  • Marian G. Michaels,
  • John F. Alcorn,
  • W. Paul Duprex,
  • Anita K. McElroy

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-022-00504-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 6

Abstract

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Abstract SARS-CoV-2 vaccines BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, and Ad26.COV2.S received emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020/2021. Individuals being vaccinated were invited to participate in a prospective longitudinal comparative study of immune responses elicited by the three vaccines. In this observational cohort study, immune responses were evaluated using a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain ELISA, SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization assays and an IFN- γ ELISPOT assay at various times over six months following initial vaccination. mRNA-based vaccines elicited higher magnitude humoral responses than Ad26.COV2.S; mRNA-1273 elicited the most durable humoral response, and all humoral responses waned over time. Neutralizing antibodies against the Delta variant were of lower magnitude than the wild-type strain for all three vaccines. mRNA-1273 initially elicited the greatest magnitude of T cell response, but this declined by 6 months. Declining immunity over time supports the use of booster dosing, especially in the setting of emerging variants.