Anti-spike S1 IgA, anti-spike trimeric IgG, and anti-spike RBD IgG response after BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in healthcare workers

IgG and IgA response after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination

  • Gian Luca Salvagno Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy and Service of Laboratory Medicine, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, Italy
  • Brandon Henry The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • Giovanni Di Piazza Medical Direction, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, Italy
  • Laura Pighi Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
  • Simone De Nitto Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
  • Damiano Bragantini Infectious Diseases Unit, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, Italy
  • Gianluca Gianfilippi Medical Direction, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, Italy
  • Giuseppe Lippi Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/jomb0-32373
Keywords: COVID-19, vaccination, immune response, antibodies, IgA

Abstract


Background: Most studies on immune response after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination focused on serum IgG antibodies and cell-mediated immunity, discounting the role of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing IgA antibodies in preventing viral infection. This study was aimed to quantify serum IgG and IgA neutralizing antibodies after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in baseline SARS-CoV-2 seronegative healthcare workers.

Methods: The study population consisted of 181 SARS-CoV-2 seronegative healthcare workers (median age 42 years, 59.7% women), receiving two doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2. Serum samples were collected before receiving the first vaccine dose, 21 days (before the second vaccine dose) and 50 days afterwards. We then measured anti-spike trimeric IgG (Liaison XL, DiaSorin), anti-spike receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG (Access 2, Beckman Coulter) and anti-spike S1 subunit IgA (ELISA, Euroimmun). Results were presented as median and interquartile range (IQR).

Results: Vaccine administration elicited all anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies measured. Thirty days after the second vaccine dose, 100% positivization occurred for anti-spike trimeric IgG and anti-spike RBD IgG, whilst 1.7% subjects remained anti-spike S1 IgA negative. The overall increase of antibodies level over baseline after the second vaccine dose was 576.1 (IQR, 360.7-867.8) for anti-spike trimeric IgG, 1426.0 (IQR, 742.0-2698.6) for anti-spike RBD IgG, and 20.2 (IQR, 12.5-32.1) for anti-spike S1 IgA. Significant inverse association was found between age and overall increase of anti-spike trimeric IgG (r=-0.24; p=0.001) and anti-spike S1 IgA (r=-0.16; p=0.028), but not with anti-spike RBD IgG (r=-0.05; p=0.497).

Conclusions: mRNA COVID-19 vaccination elicits sustained serum levels serum anti-spike trimeric IgG and anti-spike RBD IgG, while also modestly but significantly increasing those of serum anti-spike S1 IgA.

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Published
2021/06/03
Issue
Vol. 40 No. 4 (2021): Journal of Medical Biochemistry
Section
Original paper

Copyright (c) 2021 Gian Luca Salvagno, Brandon Henry, Giovanni Di Piazza, Laura Pighi, Simone De Nitto, Damiano Bragantini, Gianluca Gianfilippi, Giuseppe Lippi

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