Omicron variants breakthrough infection elicited higher specific memory immunity than third dose booster in healthy vaccinees

• Published in: Virologica Sinica 2023-04, Vol.38 (2), p.233-243
• Main Authors: Yu, Pei, Liu, Zijian, Zhu, Zhuoqi, Yang, Jiaqing, Deng, Min, Chen, Mingxiao, Lai, Changchun, Kong, Weiya, Xiong, Shilong, Wan, Li, Mai, Weikang, Chen, Lu, Lei, Yu, Khan, Shahzad Akbar, Ruan, Jianfeng, Kang, An, Guo, Xuguang, Zhou, Qiang, Li, Wenrui, Chen, Zheng, Liang, Yuemei, Li, Pingchao, Zhang, Lei, Ji, Tianxing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ad5-nCoV booster; Antibodies; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Binding antibody; Breakthrough Infections; COVID-19; Humans; Inactivated vaccine booster; Memory immunity; Omicron variants breakthrough infection; SARS-CoV-2
• ISSN: 1995-820X; 1674-0769; 1995-820X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2022.12.008

Homologous booster, heterologous booster, and Omicron variants breakthrough infection (OBI) could improve the humoral immunity against Omicron variants. Questions concerning about memory B cells (MBCs) and T cells immunity against Omicron variants, features of long-term immunity, after booster and OBI, needs to be explored. Here, comparative analysis demonstrate antibody and T cell immunity against ancestral strain, Delta and Omicron variants in Omicron breakthrough infected patients (OBIPs) are comparable to that in Ad5-nCoV boosted healthy volunteers (HVs), higher than that in inactivated vaccine (InV) boosted HVs. However, memory B cells (MBCs) immunity against Omicron variants was highest in OBIPs, followed by Ad5-nCoV boosted and InV boosted HVs. OBIPs and Ad5-nCoV boosted HVs have higher classical MBCs and activated MBCs, and lower naïve MBCs and atypical MBCs relative to both vaccine boosted HVs. Collectively, these data indicate Omicron breakthrough infection elicit higher MBCs and T cells against SARS-CoV-2 especially Omicron variants relative to homologous InV booster and heterologous Ad5-nCoV booster. •Ad5-nCoV booster and Omicron breakthrough infection (OBI) induced comparable SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody level.•The main SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG subclass in vaccine boosted HVs and OBI patients were IgG1 and IgG3.•Ad5-nCoV booster and OBI induced comparable SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells immunity.•Omicron specific MBCs was higher in OBI patients compared to homologous and heterologous vaccine boosted people.