Humoral and cellular response to SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in hemodialysis patients

• Published in: BMC immunology Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Melin, Jan, Svensson, Maria K., Albinsson, Bo, Winqvist, Ola, Pauksens, Karlis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 19.10.2021; BioMed Central Ltd; BMC
• Subjects: Age; Allergology; Analysis; Antibodies; Antigen-antibody reactions; Antigens; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cellular response; Complications and side effects; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Covid-19 spike protein; COVID-19 vaccines; Cross infection; Cytokines and Growth Factors; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Health aspects; Health care; Hemodialysis; Humoral response; Immune response; Immune system; Immunoglobulin G; Immunology; Kidney diseases; Lymphocytes T; Mortality; mRNA; mRNA vaccines; Nosocomial infections; Nucleocapsids; Observations; Patient outcomes; Patients; Prevention; Proteins; Research Article; Response rates; Risk factors; Serology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spike protein; Transplants & implants; Uremia; Vaccination; Vaccine; Sweden; Humoral response; Covid-19 spike protein; Covid-19; Hemodialysis; Vaccination; Cellular response
• ISSN: 1471-2172; 1471-2172
• DOI: 10.1186/s12865-021-00458-0

Background Hemodialysis (HD) patients have an increased risk of acquiring infections due to many health care contacts and may, in addition, have a suboptimal response to vaccination and a high mortality from Covid-19 infection. Methods In 50 HD patients (mean age 69.4 years, 62% men) administration of SARS-CoV-2BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine began in Dec 2020 and the immune response was evaluated 7–15 weeks after the last dose. Levels of Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) IgG antibody against the nucleocapsid antigen (anti-N) and the Spike antigen (anti-S) and T-cell reactivity testing against the Spike protein using ELISPOT technology were evaluated. Results Out of 50 patients, anti-S IgG antibodies indicating a vaccine effect or previous Covid-19 infection, were detected in 37 (74%), 5 (10%) had a borderline response and 8 (16%) were negative after two doses of vaccine. T-cell responses were detected in 29 (58%). Of the 37 patients with anti-S antibodies, 25 (68%) had a measurable T-cell response. 2 (40%) out of 5 patients with borderline anti-S and 2 (25%) without anti-S had a concomitant T-cell response. Twenty-seven (54%) had both an antibody and T-cell response. IgG antibodies to anti-N indicating a previous Covid-19 disease were detected in 7 (14%) patients. Conclusions Most HD patients develop a B- and/or T-cell response after vaccination against Covid-19 but approx. 20% had a limited immunological response. T-cell reactivity against Covid-19 was only present in a few of the anti-S antibody negative patients.