POST-VACCINATION IMMUNITY PHENOTYPES UPON USAGE OF EpiVacCorona VACCINE IN THE PERSONS WHO SUFFERED COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The dominance of reliably immunized population is a fundamental factor in prevention of COVID-19 pandemia, with immune prophylaxis taking a dominant position. Due to lack of clear data on the intensity of specific immunity after a new coronavirus infection, consolidation of immunological memory by vaccination becomes the urgent task, in order to exclude the risk of re-involvement of previously ill patients into the epidemic process. Meanwhile, many questions related to vaccination of COVID-19 survivors do not get distinct answers. To study the features of immune response, using a vaccine based on SARS-CoV-2 peptide antigens (EpiVacCorona), we monitored 81 participants. The inclusion criteria were data confirming COVID-19 in the anamnesis (medical documentation), low levels or absence of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, and negative PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2. When assessing the data of post-vaccinal immunity checked 21 days after 1st dose of the vaccine, the patients were divided into 2 groups those who did not respond, and those who developed the immune response. In order to identify possible reasons for different phenotypic patterns of humoral response to vaccination, a comparative analysis of B lymphocyte indexes was carried out in these groups. Absolute counts, subpopulation composition and activation potential of peripheral blood B lymphocytes were determined by flow cytofluorometry using appropriate labeled monoclonal antibodies purchased from Beсkman Coulter. Comparative analysis of B lymphocyte indexes on the day of first vaccination showed that the persons who did not respond to the vaccine had smaller counts of circulating B cells, i.e., both percentage and absolute cell numbers, than in comparison group, as well as changed ratio of B1-to-B2 subpopulations. After administration of the first vaccine dose (by day +21), in alternative variant of the antibody response to V1, the differences in the parameters of B cells were presented as a smaller percentage and absolute numbers of regulatory B lymphocytes in non-responding participants. Moreover, the contents of minor B cell subpopulations were decreased in the non-responding group than in the comparison group, thus affecting the values of the B1B2 ratio. In general, the presented data demonstrate that the absence of secondary immune response to antigens of the SARS-CoV-2 peptide vaccine could be is associated with altered differentiation of B1 and B2 subpopulations, B regulatory lymphocytes, B memory cells.