Comparative Characterization of Human Antibody Response Induced by BNT162b2 Vaccination vs. SARS-CoV-2 Wild-Type Infection

Abstract

Humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 immunization or natural infection is thought to be evanescent. In our study, we aimed to longitudinally characterize the kinetics of antibody titers after dual BNT162b2 immunization or wild-type infection. Vaccinated and recovered individuals displayed distinct antibody kinetics, as convalescents had detectable RBD-, S1-specific, and neutralizing IgG antibody titers two weeks post-infection that gradually increased longitudinally, while RBD-, S1-specific, and neutralizing IgG were detected in vaccinees after the first dose, increased significantly 3 weeks post the second dose and decreased significantly 4–5 months thereafter. Neutralizing IgG was significantly higher initially in convalescent individuals; however, vaccines displayed significantly higher neutralizing antibodies 4–5 months post the second dose. In both groups, there was a strong negative association between elapsed time and antibody levels. The avidity of anti-RBD antibody titers increased significantly in patients longitudinally, while in vaccinees initially increased, with subsequent decrease, remaining however higher than antibody avidity of recovered individuals at all time-points. Anti-RBD antibodies were strongly correlated with neutralizing and anti-S1 antibodies in both groups at all time-points. This study facilitates our further understanding of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and vaccines.

Keywords

• SARS-CoV-2
• COVID-19
• BNT162b2
• humoral immune response
• antibodies