Background While vaccination programs against the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are globally ongoing, disparate strategies for the deployment of spike antigen show varying effectiveness. Methods In order to explore this phenomenon, we sought to compare the early immune responses against AZD1222 and BNT162b2. SARS-CoV-2 seronegative participants received a single dose of either vaccine and were analyzed for immune cell, effector T cell, and antibody dynamics. Results AZD1222 induced transient leukopenia and major changes among innate and adaptive subpopulations. Both vaccines induced spike protein-specific effector T cells which were dominated by type 1 helper T cell responses following AZD1222 vaccination. A significant reduction of anti-inflammatory T cells upon re-stimulation was also restricted to AZD1222 vaccinees. While IgM and IgG were the dominant isotypes elicited by AZD1222, BNT162b2 led to a significant production of IgG and IgA. Conclusions Our results suggest that the strategy for spike protein delivery impacts on how and to what extent immune priming against the main SARS-CoV-2 antigen proceeds.

While vaccination programs against SARS-CoV-2 are globally ongoing, disparate strategies for the deployment of spike antigen show varying effectiveness. In order to explore this phenomenon, we sought to compare the early immune responses against AZD1222 and BNT162b2. SARS-CoV-2 seronegative participants received a single dose of either vaccine and were analyzed for immune cell, effector T cell and antibody dynamics. AZD1222 induced transient leukopenia and major changes among innate and adaptive subpopulations. Both vaccines induced spike protein specific effector T cells which were dominated by Th1 responses following AZD1222 vaccination. A significant reduction of anti-inflammatory T cells upon re-stimulation was also restricted to AZD1222 vaccinees. While IgM and IgG were the dominant isotypes elicited by AZD1222, BNT162b2 led to a significant production of IgG and IgA. Our results suggest that the strategy for spike antigen delivery impacts on how and to what extent immune priming against the main SARS-CoV-2 antigen proceeds.

While numerous studies have already compared the immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 in severely and mild-to-moderately ill COVID-19 patients, longitudinal trajectories are still scarce. We therefore set out to analyze serial blood samples from mild-to-moderately ill patients in order to define the immune landscapes for differently progressed disease stages. Twenty-two COVID-19 patients were subjected to consecutive venipuncture within seven days after diagnosis or admittance to hospital. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze peripheral blood immune cell compositions and their activation as were plasma levels of cytokines and SARS-CoV-2 specific immunoglobulins. Healthy donors served as controls. Integrating the kinetics of plasmablasts and SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies allowed for the definition of three disease stages of early COVID-19. The incubation phase was characterized by a sharp increase in pro-inflammatory monocytes and terminally differentiated cytotoxic T cells. The latter correlated significantly with elevated concentrations of IP-10. Early acute infection featured a peak in PD-1+ cytotoxic T cells, plasmablasts and increasing titers of virus specific antibodies. During late acute infection, immature neutrophils were enriched, whereas all other parameters returned to baseline. Our findings will help to define landmarks that are indispensable for the refinement of new anti-viral and anti-inflammatory therapeutics, and may also inform clinicians to optimize treatment and prevent fatal outcomes.

Objective: While numerous studies have already compared the immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 in severely and mild-to-moderately ill COVID-19 patients, longitudinal trajectories are still scarce. We therefore set out to analyze serial blood samples from mild-to-moderately ill patients in order to define the immune landscapes for differently progressed disease stages. Methods: Twenty-two COVID-19 patients were subjected to consecutive venipuncture within seven days after diagnosis or admittance to hospital. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze peripheral blood immune cell compositions and their activation as were plasma levels of cytokines and SARS-CoV-2 specific immunoglobulins. Healthy donors served as controls. Results: Integrating the kinetics of plasmablasts and SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies allowed for the definition of three disease stages of early COVID-19. The incubation phase was characterized by a sharp increase in pro-inflammatory monocytes and terminally differentiated cytotoxic T cells. The latter correlated significantly with elevated concentrations of IP-10. Early acute infection featured a peak in PD-1+ cytotoxic T cells, plasmablasts and increasing titers of virus specific antibodies. During late acute infection, immature neutrophils were enriched whereas all other parameters returned to baseline. Conclusion: Our findings will help to define landmarks that are indispensable for the refinement of new anti-viral and anti-inflammatory therapeutics, and may also inform clinicians to optimize treatment and prevent fatal outcome.