Pre-Vaccine Antibodies Against Seasonal Betacoronaviruses Are Associated with Decreased Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccination in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

A. Karaba¹, W. Zhou¹, T. Aytenfisu¹, T. S. Johnston¹, O. Akinde¹, Y. Eby¹, A. Abedon¹, J. Alejo¹, C. Qin¹, J. Garonzik-Wang², S. Klein¹, J. Bailey¹, A. Cox¹, J. Blankson¹, D. Segev¹, A. Tobian¹, W. Werbel¹

¹Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, ²University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Health, Madison, WI

Meeting: 2022 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 983

Keywords: Antibodies, COVID-19, Vaccination

Topic: Clinical Science » Infection Disease » 24 - All Infections (Excluding Kidney & Viral Hepatitis)

Session Information

Session Name: All Infections (Excluding Kidney & Viral Hepatitis) II

Session Type: Poster Abstract

Date: Sunday, June 5, 2022

Session Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Presentation Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Location: Hynes Halls C & D

*Purpose: The impact of antigenic imprinting, when immune memory of one antigen influences the response to subsequent similar antigens, on the antibody response in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is currently unknown. This study examines the relationship between seasonal coronaviruses (sCoV) and SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels pre- and post-vaccination in SOTRs.

*Methods: Plasma from 52 SOTRs pre- and post-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (2 doses, mRNA) was analyzed using the Meso Scale Diagnostic Coronavirus Panel 3 (an electrochemiluminescence detection-based multiplexed sandwich immunoassay) for IgG antibodies against alpha sCoVs (229E, NL63), beta sCoVs (HKU1, OC43), and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins. Changes in IgG titers were determined by paired Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine associations between pre-vaccination anti-sCoVs and post-vaccination anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG.

*Results: Vaccination increased both anti-SARS-CoV-2 (fold change (FC) 1.9, p<0.001) and anti-beta sCoV (HKU1 [FC 0.05, p<0.001], OC43 [FC 0.8, p<0.001]) IgG titers in SOTRs, but did not increase anti-alpha sCoV IgG. Furthermore, pre-vaccination anti-beta sCoV (HKU1 [ρ= -0.3, p=0.03], OC43 [ρ= -0.3, p<0.03]) IgG titers were negatively correlated with post-vaccination anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG.

*Conclusions: These exploratory findings suggest that prior exposure to seasonal betacoronaviruses may lead to antigenic imprinting in SOTRs that negatively impacts the antibody response to vaccination against the novel pandemic betacoronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Karaba A, Zhou W, Aytenfisu T, Johnston TS, Akinde O, Eby Y, Abedon A, Alejo J, Qin C, Garonzik-Wang J, Klein S, Bailey J, Cox A, Blankson J, Segev D, Tobian A, Werbel W. Pre-Vaccine Antibodies Against Seasonal Betacoronaviruses Are Associated with Decreased Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccination in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2022; 22 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/pre-vaccine-antibodies-against-seasonal-betacoronaviruses-are-associated-with-decreased-antibody-response-to-sars-cov-2-mrna-vaccination-in-solid-organ-transplant-recipients/. Accessed May 17, 2025.

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