Broad and durable antibody response after vaccination with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 in individuals with a history of 2003 SARS-CoV infection

ABSTRACT

In vaccinees who were infected with SARS-CoV in 2003, we observed greater antibody responses against spike and nucleoprotein of both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV after a single dosage of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. After receiving the second vaccination, antibodies against RBD of SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan, Beta, Delta, and recently emerged Omicron are significantly higher in SARS-CoV experienced vaccinees than in SARS-CoV naïve vaccinees. Neutralizing activities measured by authentic viruses and pseudoviruses of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan, Beta, and Delta are greater in SARS-CoV experienced vaccinees. In contrast, only weak neutralizing activities against SARS-CoV-2 and variants were detected in SARS-CoV naïve vaccinees. By 6 months after the second vaccination, neutralizing activities were maintained at a relatively higher level in SARS-CoV experienced vaccinees but were undetectable in SARS-CoV naïve vaccinees. These findings suggested a great possibility of developing a universal vaccine by heterologous vaccination using spike antigens from different SARS-related coronaviruses.

KEYWORDS:

• SARS-CoV-2
• SARS-CoV
• inactivated vaccine
• universal vaccine
• heterologous immunization

Acknowledgements

L.C., X.N. and B.S designed and initiated the project. B. S., P. Z., X.N, H.L., J.M. recruited the patients. H.L., Q. W., Y. D., D. L., H. Y., Y. C., P. H., P. Z., S. H., X. L. conducted the experiments, L. C., X. N., H.L., Q. W., X. Z., Y. Z., Y.Y contributed to data analysis, L. C., X. N., H. L. wrote the manuscript, L.C., X.N., B. S., C. K. contributed to revise and improve the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32170941, 82041014), Emergency Key Project of Guangzhou Laboratory (EKPG21-30-2, EKPG21-20). Guangzhou Science and Technology Program key projects (201904020037). Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health Open Project (Funds provided by China Evergrande Group, 2020GIRHHMS22, 2020GIRHHMS04). State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease (SKLRD-Z-202020), Zhongnanshan Medical Foundation of Guangdong Province (ZNSA-2021005, ZNSA-2022009, ZNSA-2020001), Cultivation Project of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Project No. ZH202105), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Respiratory Infectious Disease (2019B121205010).