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Hum Vaccin Immunother
. 2023 Dec 15;19(3):2273697.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2273697. Epub 2023 Nov 14. Association between sex hormones and anti-S/RBD antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines in healthcare workers
Simona Anticoli 1 , Maria Dorrucci 2 , Elisabetta Iessi 1 , Flavia Chiarotti 3 , Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio 4 , Maria Rosaria Vinci 4 , Salvatore Zaffina 4 , Vincenzo Puro 5 , Francesca Colavita 6 , Klizia Mizzoni 6 , Silvia Meschi 6 , Nicoletta Vonesch 7 , Christian Albano 8 , Elena Ortona 1 , Anna Ruggieri 1 , Paola Tomao 7
Affiliations
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the target population for vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as they are at a high risk of exposure and transmission of pathogens to patients. Neutralizing antibodies developed after COVID-19 vaccination decline within few months of vaccination. Several factors, including age and sex, can affect the intensity, efficacy, and duration of immune response to vaccines. However, sex-specific analyses of humoral responses to COVID-19 vaccines are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate sex-based differences in anti-S/RBD (Receptor Binding Domain) responses at three different time points after the second dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in HCWs in relation to age, and to investigate the role of sex hormones as potential markers of response. Anti-S/RBD levels after two doses of the mRNA vaccine were collected from 521 HCWs naïve to COVID-19, working at two Italian Clinical Centers. Multiple regression analysis was applied to evaluate the association between anti-S levels and sex, age, and plasma levels of sex hormones. Significantly higher anti-S/RBD response to the COVID-19 vaccination was found in female HCWs, and a significant and more abrupt decline in response with time was observed in women than that in men. A novel, positive association of testosterone plasma levels and higher anti-S levels in male HCWs was found, suggesting its potential role as sex specific marker in males. In conclusion, understanding the sex-based differences in humoral immune responses to vaccines may potentially improve vaccination strategies and optimize surveillance programs for HCWs.
Keywords: COVID-19; anti-S/RBD; estrogen; healthcare workers; progesterone; sex difference; testosterone; vaccine.
. 2023 Dec 15;19(3):2273697.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2273697. Epub 2023 Nov 14. Association between sex hormones and anti-S/RBD antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines in healthcare workers
Simona Anticoli 1 , Maria Dorrucci 2 , Elisabetta Iessi 1 , Flavia Chiarotti 3 , Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio 4 , Maria Rosaria Vinci 4 , Salvatore Zaffina 4 , Vincenzo Puro 5 , Francesca Colavita 6 , Klizia Mizzoni 6 , Silvia Meschi 6 , Nicoletta Vonesch 7 , Christian Albano 8 , Elena Ortona 1 , Anna Ruggieri 1 , Paola Tomao 7
Affiliations
- PMID: 37961893
- DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2273697
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the target population for vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as they are at a high risk of exposure and transmission of pathogens to patients. Neutralizing antibodies developed after COVID-19 vaccination decline within few months of vaccination. Several factors, including age and sex, can affect the intensity, efficacy, and duration of immune response to vaccines. However, sex-specific analyses of humoral responses to COVID-19 vaccines are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate sex-based differences in anti-S/RBD (Receptor Binding Domain) responses at three different time points after the second dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in HCWs in relation to age, and to investigate the role of sex hormones as potential markers of response. Anti-S/RBD levels after two doses of the mRNA vaccine were collected from 521 HCWs naïve to COVID-19, working at two Italian Clinical Centers. Multiple regression analysis was applied to evaluate the association between anti-S levels and sex, age, and plasma levels of sex hormones. Significantly higher anti-S/RBD response to the COVID-19 vaccination was found in female HCWs, and a significant and more abrupt decline in response with time was observed in women than that in men. A novel, positive association of testosterone plasma levels and higher anti-S levels in male HCWs was found, suggesting its potential role as sex specific marker in males. In conclusion, understanding the sex-based differences in humoral immune responses to vaccines may potentially improve vaccination strategies and optimize surveillance programs for HCWs.
Keywords: COVID-19; anti-S/RBD; estrogen; healthcare workers; progesterone; sex difference; testosterone; vaccine.