Impaired B Cell Recall Memory and Reduced Antibody Avidity but Robust T Cell Response in CVID Patients After COVID-19 Vaccination
Sophie Steiner, Tatjana Schwarz, Victor M. Corman, Lara M. Jeworowski, Sandra Bauer, Christian Drosten, Carmen Scheibenbogen, Leif G. Hanitsch
Abstract
Abstract Purpose Humoral and cellular immune responses were described after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with common variable immunodeficiency disorder (CVID). This study aimed to investigate SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody quality and memory function of B cell immunity as well as T cell responses after COVID-19 vaccination in seroresponding and non-responding CVID patients. Methods We evaluated antibody avidity and applied a memory B cell ELSPOT assay for functional B cell recall memory response to SARS-CoV-2 after COVID-19 vaccination in CVID seroresponders. We comparatively analyzed SARS-CoV-2 spike reactive polyfunctional T cell response and reactive peripheral follicular T helper cells (pT FH ) by flow cytometry in seroresponding and non-seroresponding CVID patients. All CVID patients had previously failed to mount a humoral response to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Results SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody avidity of seroresponding CVID patients was significantly lower than in healthy controls. Only 30% of seroresponding CVID patients showed a minimal memory B cell recall response in ELISPOT assay. One hundred percent of CVID seroresponders and 83% of non-seroresponders had a detectable polyfunctional T cell response. Induction of antigen-specific CD4 + CD154 + CD137 + CXCR5 + pT FH cells by the COVID-19 vaccine was higher in CVID seroresponder than in non-seroresponder. Levels of pT FH did not correlate with antibody response or avidity. Conclusion Reduced avidity and significantly impaired recall memory formation after COVID-19 vaccination in seroresponding CVID patients stress the importance of a more differentiated analysis of humoral immune response in CVID patients. Our observations challenge the clinical implications that follow the binary categorization into seroresponder and non-seroresponder.