Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines Are Detectable in Saliva

Ketas, Thomas J.; Chaturbhuj, Devidas; Portillo, Victor M Cruz; Francomano, Erik; Golden, Encouse; Chandrasekhar, Sharanya; Debnath, Gargi; Díaz-Tapia, Randy; Yasmeen, Anila; Kramer, Kyle D.; Munawar, Tarek; Leconet, Wilhelm; Zhao, Zhen; Brouwer, Philip J.M.; Cushing, Melissa M.; Sanders, Rogier W.; Cupo, Albert; Klasse, Per Johan; Formenti, Silvia C.; Moore, John P.

The approved Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines are well known to induce serum antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S)-protein. However, their abilities to elicit mucosal immune responses have not been reported. Saliva antibodies represent mucosal responses that may be relevant to how mRNA vaccines prevent oral and nasal SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Here, we describe the outcome of a cross-sectional study on a healthcare worker cohort (WELCOME-NYPH), in which we assessed whether IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies to the S-protein and its receptor-binding domain (RBD) were present in serum and saliva samples. Anti-S-protein IgG was detected in 14/31 and 66/66 of saliva samples from uninfected participants after vaccine doses-1 and -2, respectively. IgA antibodies to the S-protein were present in 40/66 saliva samples after dose 2. Anti-S-protein IgG was present in every serum sample from recipients of 2 vaccine doses. Vaccine-induced antibodies against the RBD were also frequently present in saliva and sera. These findings may help our understanding of whether and how vaccines may impede SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including to oral cavity target cells.