Abstract
Robust population-wide immunity will help to curb the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics. To maintain the immunity at protective levels, the quality and persistence of the immune response elicited by infection or vaccination must be determined. We analyzed the dynamics of B cell response during 12 months following SARS-CoV-2 infection on an individual level. In contrast to antibodies, memory B cells specific for the spike (S) protein persisted at high levels throughout the period. These cells efficiently secreted neutralizing antibodies and correlated with IFN-γ-secreting CD4 + T cells. Interestingly, the CD27 – CD21 + intermediate memory B cell phenotype was associated with high B cell receptor avidity and the production of neutralizing antibodies. Vaccination of previously infected individuals triggered a recall response enhancing neutralizing antibody and memory B cell levels. Collectively, our findings provide a detailed insight into the longevity of SARS-CoV-2-infection-induced B cell immunity and highlight the importance of vaccination among previously infected. IMPORTANCE To efficiently maintain immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection, we must first determine the durability of the immune response following infection or vaccination. Here, we demonstrated that, unlike antibodies, virus-specific memory B cells persist at high levels for at least 12 months postinfection and successfully respond to a secondary antigen challenge. Furthermore, we demonstrated that vaccination of previously infected individuals significantly boosters B cell immunity.
Keywords: CD4+ T cell; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; antibody; immunity; immunization; kinetics; longevity; longitudinal; memory B cells; neutralization; recovered; spike; vaccination.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Immunity, spike, antibody, neutralization, memory B cells, immunization, vaccination., Kinetics, Longevity, longitudinal, recovered, CD4+ T cell, 【초록키워드】 neutralizing antibody, antibodies, immune response, vaccination, Neutralizing antibodies, T cells, SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, CD4, Antigen, B cell, Protein, persistence, Pandemics, phenotype, receptor, recall, booster, memory B cell, Protective, CD27, B cell response, infected individual, help, CD4+, CD21, individual level, Cell, memory B, highlight, Postinfection, analyzed, significantly, determine, demonstrated, correlated, maintain, triggered, elicited, respond, secreted, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 response, persistent, maintenance, intermediate,