Background: Human immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines display a large heterogeneity of induced immunity and the underlying immune mechanisms for this remain largely unknown.
Methods: Using a systems biology approach, we longitudinally profiled a unique cohort of female high and low responders to the BNT162b vaccine, who were known from previous COVID-19 vaccinations to develop maximum and minimum immune responses to the vaccine. We utilized high dimensional flow cytometry, bulk and single cell mRNA sequencing and 48-plex serum cytokine analyses.
Findings: We revealed early, transient immunological and molecular signatures that distinguished high from low responders and correlated with B and T cell responses measured 14 days later. High responders featured a distinct transcriptional activity of interferon-driven genes and genes connected to enhanced antigen presentation. This was accompanied by a robust cytokine response related to Th1 differentiation. Both transcriptome and serum cytokine signatures were confirmed in two independent confirmatory cohorts.
Interpretation: Collectively, our data contribute to a better understanding of the immunogenicity of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, which might lead to the optimization of vaccine designs for individuals with poor vaccine responses.
Funding: German Center for Infection Research, German Center for Lung Research, German Research Foundation, Excellence Strategy EXC 2155 "RESIST" and European Regional Development Fund.
Keywords: BNT162b; Monocytes; Systems biology; mRNA vaccine.
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.