Commercial Interferon-gamma release assay to assess the immune response to first and second doses of mRNA vaccine in previously COVID-19 infected versus uninfected individuals.

Tormo, Nuria; Navalpotro, David; Martínez-Serrano, María; Moreno, Marta; Grosson, Fernando; Tur, Irene; Guna, M Remedios; Soriano, Pepa; Tornero, Ana; Gimeno, Concepción

We analysed immunological response during vaccination by using quantitative anti-spike IgG antibodies (qAbs) and Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) production by SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (QuantiFERON(Ⓡ) assay). Blood samples were collected at four time points: a day before the reception of first (T0) and second (T1) BNT162b2 doses, 14 (T2) and 28 days (T3) after second dose. Fifty individuals were included: 34 previously infected by SARS-CoV-2 (CoV2+) and 16 that were not (CoV2-). Among CoV2+, we only observed significant differences after the first dose in both qAbs and IFNγ+ T cells. CoV2- showed differences after each dose, and the response was lower than CoV2+. Older people presented a higher response in CoV2+, while in CoV2, young people responded best. Our results suggest that the second BNT162b2 vaccine dose is not a priority in people with previous COVID-19. QuantiFERON(Ⓡ) is a good option to monitor T-cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2.