Detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies formed in response to the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1237 mRNA vaccine by commercial antibody tests

Jamil N Kanji; Ashley Bailey; Jayne Fenton; Sean H Ling; Rafael Rivera; Sabrina Plitt; Wendy I Sligl; Sean Taylor; LeeAnn Turnbull; Graham Tipples; Carmen L Charlton

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.08.022

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies formed in response to the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1237 mRNA vaccine by commercial antibody tests

Vaccine. 2021 Sep 15;39(39):5563-5570. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.08.022. Epub 2021 Aug 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada; Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. Electronic address: jamil.kanji@ahs.ca.
² Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada.
³ School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-003 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada.
⁴ School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-003 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada; Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada.
⁵ Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada; Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada.
⁶ GenScript USA Inc, 860 Centennial Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
⁷ Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, 6-010 Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada.
⁸ Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, 6-010 Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada.

Abstract

Background: With rapid approval of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the ability of clinical laboratories to detect vaccine-induced antibodies with available high-throughput commercial assays is unknown. We aimed to determine if commercial serology assays can detect vaccine-induced antibodies (VIAs) and understand the vaccination response.

Methods: This cohort study recruited healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities (receiving the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 products, respectively) who underwent serum collection pre-vaccination (BNT162b2 group), 2-weeks post vaccination (both groups), and pre-2nd dose (both groups). Sera were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG using four commercial assays (Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG, Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant, DiaSorin Trimeric S IgG, and GenScript cPASS) to detect VIAs. Secondary outcomes included description of post-vaccination antibody response and correlation with neutralizing titers.

Results: 225 participants (177 receiving BNT162b2 and 48 receiving mRNA-1273) were included (median age 41 years; 66-78% female). Nucleocapsid IgG was found in 4.1% and 21.9% of the BNT162b2 (baseline) and mRNA-1273 (2-weeks post first dose). All anti-spike assays detected antibodies post-vaccination, with an average increase of 87.2% (range 73.8-94.3%; BNT162b2), and 25.2% (range 23.8-26.7%; mRNA-1273) between the first and last sampling time points (all p < 0.05). Neutralizing antibodies were detected at all post-vaccine timepoints for both vaccine arms, with increasing titers over time (all p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Anti-spike vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 IgG are detectable by commercially available high-throughput assays and increases over time. Prior to second dose of vaccination, neutralizing antibodies are detectable in 73-89% of individuals, suggesting most individuals would have some degree of protection from subsequent infection.

Keywords: BNTb162b2; SARS-CoV-2; clinical laboratories; commercial assays; mRNA vaccine; mRNA-1273; neutralizing antibodies; titer.

MeSH terms

Adult
BNT162 Vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19*
Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Male
RNA, Messenger
SARS-CoV-2*

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines
RNA, Messenger
BNT162 Vaccine