Ex Vivo Immune Responsiveness to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5.1 Following Vaccination with Unmodified mRNA-Vaccine

Anna Sabrina Kuechler; Eva Heger; Maike Wirtz; Sandra Weinhold; Markus Uhrberg; Fritz Boege; Karin Schulze-Bosse

doi:10.3390/vaccines11030598

Vaccines (Mar 2023)

Ex Vivo Immune Responsiveness to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5.1 Following Vaccination with Unmodified mRNA-Vaccine

Anna Sabrina Kuechler,
Eva Heger,
Maike Wirtz,
Sandra Weinhold,
Markus Uhrberg,
Fritz Boege,
Karin Schulze-Bosse

Affiliations

Anna Sabrina Kuechler: Central Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Eva Heger: Institute for Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany
Maike Wirtz: Institute for Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany
Sandra Weinhold: Institute for Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Markus Uhrberg: Institute for Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Fritz Boege: Central Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Karin Schulze-Bosse: Central Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030598
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 3
p. 598

Abstract

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(1) Background: The high incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated persons underscores the importance of individualized re-vaccination. PanIg antibodies that act against the S1/-receptor binding domain quantified in serum by a routine diagnostic test (ECLIA, Roche) can be used to gauge the individual ex vivo capacity of SARS-CoV-2 neutralization. However, that test is not adapted to mutations in the S1/-receptor binding domain, having accumulated in SARS-CoV-2 variants. Therefore, it might be unsuited to determine immune-reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 BA.5.1. (2) Method: To address this concern, we re-investigated sera obtained six months after second vaccinations with un-adapted mRNA vaccine Spikevax (Moderna). We related serum levels of panIg against the S1/-receptor binding domain quantified by the un-adapted ECLIA with full virus neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 B.1 or SARS-CoV-2 BA5.1. (3) Results: 92% of the sera exhibited sufficient neutralization capacity against the B.1 strain. Only 20% of the sera sufficiently inhibited the BA5.1 strain. Sera inhibiting BA5.1 could not be distinguished from non-inhibiting sera by serum levels of panIg against the S1/-receptor binding domain quantified by the un-adapted ECLIA. (4) Conclusion: Quantitative serological tests for an antibody against the S1/-receptor binding domain are unsuited as vaccination companion diagnostics, unless they are regularly adapted to mutations that have accumulated in that domain.

Published in Vaccines

ISSN: 2076-393X (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines

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