npj Vaccines (Mar 2023)

Systems serology-based comparison of antibody effector functions induced by adjuvanted vaccines to guide vaccine design

  • Carolin Loos,
  • Margherita Coccia,
  • Arnaud M. Didierlaurent,
  • Ahmed Essaghir,
  • Jonathan K. Fallon,
  • Douglas Lauffenburger,
  • Corinne Luedemann,
  • Ashlin Michell,
  • Robbert van der Most,
  • Alex Lee Zhu,
  • Galit Alter,
  • Wivine Burny

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-023-00613-1
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

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Abstract The mechanisms by which antibodies confer protection vary across vaccines, ranging from simple neutralization to functions requiring innate immune recruitment via Fc-dependent mechanisms. The role of adjuvants in shaping the maturation of antibody-effector functions remains under investigated. Using systems serology, we compared adjuvants in licensed vaccines (AS01B/AS01E/AS03/AS04/Alum) combined with a model antigen. Antigen-naive adults received two adjuvanted immunizations followed by late revaccination with fractional-dosed non-adjuvanted antigen ( NCT00805389 ). A dichotomy in response quantities/qualities emerged post-dose 2 between AS01B/AS01E/AS03 and AS04/Alum, based on four features related to immunoglobulin titers or Fc-effector functions. AS01B/E and AS03 induced similar robust responses that were boosted upon revaccination, suggesting that memory B-cell programming by the adjuvanted vaccinations dictated responses post non-adjuvanted boost. AS04 and Alum induced weaker responses, that were dissimilar with enhanced functionalities for AS04. Distinct adjuvant classes can be leveraged to tune antibody-effector functions, where selective vaccine formulation using adjuvants with different immunological properties may direct antigen-specific antibody functions.