Cell-mediated and Neutralizing Antibody Responses to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/BA.5–adapted Bivalent Vaccine Booster in Kidney and Liver Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Background. The immunogenicity elicited by the Omicron BA.4/BA.5–adapted bivalent booster vaccine after solid organ transplantation (SOT) has not been characterized. Methods. We assessed cell-mediated and neutralizing IgG antibody responses against the BA.4/BA.5 spike receptor-binding domain at baseline and 2 wk after the administration of an mRNA-based bivalent (ancestral strain and BA.4/BA.5 subvariants) vaccine among 30 SOT recipients who had received ≥3 monovalent vaccine doses. Previous coronavirus disease 2019 history was present in 46.7% of them. We also recruited a control group of 19 nontransplant healthy individuals. Cell-mediated immunity was measured by fluorescent ELISpot assay for interferon (IFN)-γ secretion, whereas the neutralizing IgG antibody response against the BA.4/BA.5 spike receptor-binding domain was quantified with a competitive ELISA. Results. The median number of BA.4/BA.5 spike–specific IFN-γ–producing spot-forming units (SFUs) increased from baseline to 2 wk postbooster (83.8 versus 133.0 SFUs/106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells; P = 0.0017). Seropositivity rate also increased (46.7%–83.3%; P = 0.001), as well as serum neutralizing activity (4.2%–78.3%; P < 0.0001). Patients with no prior coronavirus disease 2019 history experienced higher improvements in cell-mediated and neutralizing responses after booster vaccination. There was no correlation between BA.4/BA.5 spike–specific IFN-γ–producing SFUs and neutralizing activity. Nontransplant controls showed more robust postbooster cell-mediated immunity than SOT recipients (591.1 versus 133.0 IFN-γ–producing SFUs/106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells; P < 0.0001), although no differences were observed for antibody responses in terms of postbooster seropositivity rates or neutralizing activity. Conclusions. Booster with the BA.4/BA.5–adapted bivalent vaccine generated strong subvariant-specific responses among SOT recipients. Booster-induced cell-mediated immunity, however, remained lower than in immunocompetent individuals.