Neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 Delta/Omicron variants and B cell response after inactivated vaccination among COVID-19 convalescents.

Hao Wang; Yu Yuan; Bihao WU; Mingzhong Xiao; Zhen Wang; Tingyue Diao; Rui Zeng; Li Chen; Yanshou Lei; Pinpin Long; Yi Guo; Xuefeng Lai; Yuying Wen; Wenhui LI; Hao Cai; Lulu Song; Wei NI; Youyun Zhao; Kani Ouyang; Jingzhi Wang; Qi Wang; Li Liu; Chaolong Wang; An Pan; Xiaodong LI; Rui Gong; Tangchun WU

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Neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 Delta/Omicron variants and B cell response after inactivated vaccination among COVID-19 convalescents.

Author: Hao WANG ¹ ; Yu YUAN ¹ ; Bihao WU ² ; Mingzhong XIAO ³ ; Zhen WANG ¹ ; Tingyue DIAO ¹ ; Rui ZENG ¹ ; Li CHEN ² ; Yanshou LEI ¹ ; Pinpin LONG ¹ ; Yi GUO ¹ ; Xuefeng LAI ¹ ; Yuying WEN ¹ ; Wenhui LI ¹ ; Hao CAI ¹ ; Lulu SONG ¹ ; Wei NI ³ ; Youyun ZHAO ³ ; Kani OUYANG ³ ; Jingzhi WANG ³ ; Qi WANG ¹ ; Li LIU ¹ ; Chaolong WANG ¹ ; An PAN ¹ ; Xiaodong LI ⁴ ; Rui GONG ⁵ ; Tangchun WU ⁶
Author Information

1. Ministry of Education and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
2. CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
3. Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China.
4. Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China. lixiaodong555@126.com.
5. CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China. gongr@wh.iov.cn.
6. Ministry of Education and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. wut@mails.tjmu.edu.cn.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: B cell response; COVID-19 convalescent; SARS-CoV-2; inactivated vaccination; neutralizing antibody
From: Frontiers of Medicine 2023;17(4):747-757
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants have made COVID-19 convalescents susceptible to re-infection and have raised concern about the efficacy of inactivated vaccination in neutralization against emerging variants and antigen-specific B cell response. To this end, a study on a long-term cohort of 208 participants who have recovered from COVID-19 was conducted, and the participants were followed up at 3.3 (Visit 1), 9.2 (Visit 2), and 18.5 (Visit 3) months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. They were classified into three groups (no-vaccination (n = 54), one-dose (n = 62), and two-dose (n = 92) groups) on the basis of the administration of inactivated vaccination. The neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers against the wild-type virus continued to decrease in the no-vaccination group, but they rose significantly in the one-dose and two-dose groups, with the highest NAb titers being observed in the two-dose group at Visit 3. The NAb titers against the Delta variant for the no-vaccination, one-dose, and two-dose groups decreased by 3.3, 1.9, and 2.3 folds relative to the wild-type virus, respectively, and those against the Omicron variant decreased by 7.0, 4.0, and 3.8 folds, respectively. Similarly, the responses of SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific B cells and memory B cells were boosted by the second vaccine dose. Results showed that the convalescents benefited from the administration of the inactivated vaccine (one or two doses), which enhanced neutralization against highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants and memory B cell responses. Two doses of inactivated vaccine among COVID-19 convalescents are therefore recommended for the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic, and vaccination guidelines and policies need to be updated.