Omicron infection following vaccination enhances a broad spectrum of immune responses dependent on infection history.
Hornsby, Hailey Nicols, Alexander R Longet, Stephanie Liu, Chang Tomic, Adriana Angyal, Adrienn Kronsteiner, Barbara Tyerman, Jessica K Tipton, Tom Zhang, Peijun
Hornsby, Hailey
Nicols, Alexander R
Longet, Stephanie
Liu, Chang
Tomic, Adriana
Angyal, Adrienn
Kronsteiner, Barbara
Tyerman, Jessica K
Tipton, Tom
Zhang, Peijun
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2023-08-21
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Abstract
Pronounced immune escape by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has resulted in many individuals possessing hybrid immunity, generated through a combination of vaccination and infection. Concerns have been raised that omicron breakthrough infections in triple-vaccinated individuals result in poor induction of omicron-specific immunity, and that prior SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with immune dampening. Taking a broad and comprehensive approach, we characterize mucosal and blood immunity to spike and non-spike antigens following BA.1/BA.2 infections in triple mRNA-vaccinated individuals, with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. We find that most individuals increase BA.1/BA.2/BA.5-specific neutralizing antibodies following infection, but confirm that the magnitude of increase and post-omicron titres are higher in the infection-naive. In contrast, significant increases in nasal responses, including neutralizing activity against BA.5 spike, are seen regardless of infection history. Spike-specific T cells increase only in infection-naive vaccinees; however, post-omicron T cell responses are significantly higher in the previously-infected, who display a maximally induced response with a highly cytotoxic CD8+ phenotype following their 3rd mRNA vaccine dose. Responses to non-spike antigens increase significantly regardless of prior infection status. These findings suggest that hybrid immunity induced by omicron breakthrough infections is characterized by significant immune enhancement that can help protect against future omicron variants.
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Hornsby H, Nicols AR, Longet S, Liu C, Tomic A, Angyal A, Kronsteiner B, Tyerman JK, Tipton T, Zhang P, Gallis M, Supasa P, Selvaraj M, Abraham P, Neale I, Ali M, Barratt NA, Nell JM, Gustafsson L, Strickland S, Grouneva I, Rostron T, Moore SC, Hering LM, Dobson SL, Bibi S, Mongkolsapaya J, Lambe T, Wootton D, Hall V, Hopkins S, Dong T, Barnes E, Screaton G; PITCH Consortium; Richter A, Turtle L, Rowland-Jones SL, Carroll M, Duncan CJA, Klenerman P, Dunachie SJ, Payne RP, de Silva TI. Omicron infection following vaccination enhances a broad spectrum of immune responses dependent on infection history. Nat Commun. 2023 Aug 21;14(1):5065. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-40592-4.
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Article