Ali H. Ellebedy, Virtual COVID-19 Symposium: September 15, 2021

Ali H. Ellebedy, PhD, Associate Professor, Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Germinal center B cell response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in humans

Dr. Ellebedy’s group studied the B cell response induced by an mRNA SARS-CoV2 vaccine from three levels, the circulating antibody-secreting plasmablasts, the germinal center (GC) B cells in the draining axillary lymph nodes, and the long-lived plasma cells in the bone marrow. The study recruited 43 volunteers and 7 of them with prior SARS-CoV2 infection. After the vaccination, the circulating spike-binding antibodies short-term increased and peaked at the 4th week. The prior-infected subjects had higher baseline IgG levels and prolonged more elevated IgM, IgG, and IgA titration. Under ultrasound guidance, the increased size and vascularity of draining axillary lymph nodes enabled fine needle aspiration (FNA) into the germinal center (GC). The cells obtained from FNA displayed a higher percentage of GC B cells and the spike-binding ability for 30 weeks after vaccination. The bone marrow cell IgG/IgA staining confirmed the existence of the vaccine-induced spike-specific IgG+ long-lived plasma cells. Therefore, the subjects with prior mild SARS-CoV2 infection would show a more robust B cell response after vaccination. The mRNA vaccine could induce the persistent germinal center response and establish the spike-specific long-lived plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Видео Ali H. Ellebedy, Virtual COVID-19 Symposium: September 15, 2021 канала Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia