tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Front Immunol
. 2025 Mar 27:16:1557426.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1557426. eCollection 2025. Longitudinal cellular and humoral immune responses following COVID-19 BNT162b2-mRNA-based booster vaccination of craft and manual workers in Qatar
Remy Thomas[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmed Zaqout[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bakhita Meqbel[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Umar Jafar[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Nishant N Vaikath[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Abdullah Aldushain[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Adviti Naik[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hibah Shaath[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Neyla S Al-Akl[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Abdi Adam[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Houda Y A Moussa[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kyung C Shin[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rowaida Z Taha[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mohammed Abukhattab[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Muna A Almaslamani[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nehad M Alajez[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Abdelilah Arredouani[SUP] 3 5 [/SUP], Yongsoo Park[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Sara A Abdulla[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Omar M A El-Agnaf[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Ali S Omrani[SUP] 2 7 [/SUP], Julie Decock[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: In March 2020, the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 prompted global vaccination campaigns to mitigate COVID-19 disease severity and mortality. The 2-dose BNT162b2-mRNA vaccine effectively reduced infection and mortality rates, however, waning vaccine effectiveness necessitated the introduction of a third vaccine dose or booster.
Aim: To assess the magnitude and longevity of booster-induced immunity, we conducted a longitudinal study of SARS-CoV-2 specific cellular and humoral immune responses among Qatar's vulnerable craft and manual worker community. We also investigated the impact of prior naturally acquired immunity on booster vaccination efficacy.
Methods: Seventy healthy participants were enrolled in the study, of whom half had prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Blood samples were collected before and after booster vaccination to evaluate immune responses through SARS-CoV-2 specific ELISpots, IgG ELISA, neutralization assays, and flow cytometric immunophenotyping.
Results: T cell analysis revealed increased Th1 cytokine responses, marked by enhanced IFN-γ release, in recently infected participants, which was further enhanced by booster vaccination for up to 6-months. Furthermore, booster vaccination stimulated cytotoxic responses in infection-naïve participants, characterized by granzyme B production. Both natural SARS-CoV-2 infection and booster vaccination induced robust and durable SARS-CoV-2 specific humoral immune responses, with high neutralizing antibody levels. Prior natural infection was also linked to an increased number of class-switched B cells prior to booster vaccination.
Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of booster vaccination in enhancing anti-viral immunity across both infection-naïve and previously infected individuals, enhancing distinct arms of the anti-viral immune response and prolonging naturally acquired immunity.
Keywords: BNT162b2; SARS-CoV-2; booster; immune response; immunological memory.
. 2025 Mar 27:16:1557426.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1557426. eCollection 2025. Longitudinal cellular and humoral immune responses following COVID-19 BNT162b2-mRNA-based booster vaccination of craft and manual workers in Qatar
Remy Thomas[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmed Zaqout[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bakhita Meqbel[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Umar Jafar[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Nishant N Vaikath[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Abdullah Aldushain[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Adviti Naik[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hibah Shaath[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Neyla S Al-Akl[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Abdi Adam[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Houda Y A Moussa[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kyung C Shin[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rowaida Z Taha[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mohammed Abukhattab[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Muna A Almaslamani[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nehad M Alajez[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Abdelilah Arredouani[SUP] 3 5 [/SUP], Yongsoo Park[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Sara A Abdulla[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Omar M A El-Agnaf[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Ali S Omrani[SUP] 2 7 [/SUP], Julie Decock[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 40213554
- PMCID: PMC11983602
- DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1557426
Background: In March 2020, the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 prompted global vaccination campaigns to mitigate COVID-19 disease severity and mortality. The 2-dose BNT162b2-mRNA vaccine effectively reduced infection and mortality rates, however, waning vaccine effectiveness necessitated the introduction of a third vaccine dose or booster.
Aim: To assess the magnitude and longevity of booster-induced immunity, we conducted a longitudinal study of SARS-CoV-2 specific cellular and humoral immune responses among Qatar's vulnerable craft and manual worker community. We also investigated the impact of prior naturally acquired immunity on booster vaccination efficacy.
Methods: Seventy healthy participants were enrolled in the study, of whom half had prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Blood samples were collected before and after booster vaccination to evaluate immune responses through SARS-CoV-2 specific ELISpots, IgG ELISA, neutralization assays, and flow cytometric immunophenotyping.
Results: T cell analysis revealed increased Th1 cytokine responses, marked by enhanced IFN-γ release, in recently infected participants, which was further enhanced by booster vaccination for up to 6-months. Furthermore, booster vaccination stimulated cytotoxic responses in infection-naïve participants, characterized by granzyme B production. Both natural SARS-CoV-2 infection and booster vaccination induced robust and durable SARS-CoV-2 specific humoral immune responses, with high neutralizing antibody levels. Prior natural infection was also linked to an increased number of class-switched B cells prior to booster vaccination.
Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of booster vaccination in enhancing anti-viral immunity across both infection-naïve and previously infected individuals, enhancing distinct arms of the anti-viral immune response and prolonging naturally acquired immunity.
Keywords: BNT162b2; SARS-CoV-2; booster; immune response; immunological memory.