Age-dependent impairment in antibody responses elicited by a homologous CoronaVac booster dose

Abstract

The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages resulted in drastically increased transmission rates and reduced protection from vaccine-induced immunity. To counteract these effects, multiple booster strategies were used in different countries, although data comparing their efficiency in improving protective immunity remains sparse, especially among vulnerable populations, including older adults. The inactivated CoronaVac vaccine was among the most widely distributed worldwide, particularly in China, and South America. However, whether homologous versus heterologous booster doses in those fully vaccinated with CoronaVac induce distinct humoral responses and whether these responses vary across age groups remain unknown. We analyzed plasma antibody responses from CoronaVac-vaccinated younger or older individuals in central and south America that received a homologous CoronaVac or heterologous BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1 booster vaccines. We found that both IgG levels against SARS-CoV-2 spike or RBD, as well as neutralization titers against Omicron sublineages, were substantially reduced in participants that received homologous CoronaVac when compared to heterologous BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1 booster. This effect was specifically prominent in recipients older than 50 years of age. In this group, CoronaVac booster induced low virus-specific IgG levels and failed to elevate their neutralization titers against any omicron sublineage. Our results point to significant inefficiency in mounting protective anti-viral humoral immunity in those who were primed with CoronaVac followed by CoronaVac booster, particularly among older adults, urging a heterologous regimen in high-risk populations fully vaccinated with CoronaVac.

Host-microbe multiomic profiling reveals age-dependent immune dysregulation associated with COVID-19 immunopathology

“…Observational cohort studies of healthy adults (6,7) demonstrate that aging leads to baseline increases in plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (6,8), several of which, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), are well-known biomarkers of COVID-19 severity, suggesting potential connections between the pathophysiology of human aging and COVID-19 (8). Juxtaposed against this state of aging-associated inflammation are functional impairments in innate and adaptive immune signaling observed during the vaccination of aged individuals (9)(10)(11)(12). Furthermore, recent human in vitro data indicate that aging results in impaired production of type I interferons (IFNs) in monocytes and dendritic cells after Tolllike receptor (TLR) ligation, suggesting disrupted innate immunity (13)(14)(15)(16)(17).…”