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Sidler D, Born A, Schietzel S, Horn MP, Aeberli D, Amsler J, Möller B, Njue LM, Medri C, Angelillo-Scherrer A, Borradori L, Seyed Jafari SM, Radonjic-Hoesli S, Chan A, Hoepner R, Bacher U, Mani LY, Iype JM, Suter-Riniker F, Staehelin C, Nagler M, Hirzel C, Maurer B, Moor MB. Trajectories of humoral and cellular immunity and responses to a third dose of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with a history of anti-CD20 therapy. RMD Open 2022; 8:e002166. [PMID: 35361691 PMCID: PMC8971359 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2021-002166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of patients with B-cell-depleting therapies show compromised vaccination-induced immune responses. Herein, we report on the trajectories of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune responses in patients of the RituxiVac study compared with healthy volunteers and investigate the immunogenicity of a third vaccination in previously humoral non-responding patients. METHODS We investigated the humoral and cell-mediated immune response after SARS-CoV-2 messanger RNA vaccination in patients with a history with anti-CD20 therapies. Coprimary outcomes were antispike and SARS-CoV-2-stimulated interferon-γ concentrations in vaccine responders 4.3 months (median; IQR: 3.6-4.8 months) after first evaluation, and humoral and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) after a third vaccine dose in previous humoral non-responders. Immunity decay rates were compared using analysis of covariance in linear regression. RESULTS 5.6 months (IQR: 5.1-6.7) after the second vaccination, we detected antispike IgG in 88% (29/33) and CMI in 44% (14/32) of patients with a humoral response after two-dose vaccination compared with 92% (24/26) healthy volunteers with antispike IgG and 69% (11/16) with CMI 6.8 months after the second vaccination (IQR: 6.0-7.1). Decay rates of antibody concentrations were comparable between patients and controls (p=0.70). In two-dose non-responders, a third SARS-CoV-2 vaccine elicited humoral responses in 19% (6/32) and CMI in 32% (10/31) participants. CONCLUSION This study reveals comparable immunity decay rates between patients with anti-CD20 treatments and healthy volunteers, but inefficient humoral or CMI after a third SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in most two-dose humoral non-responders calling for individually tailored vaccination strategies in this population.Trial registration numberNCT04877496; ClinicalTrials.gov number.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sidler
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Born
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Simeon Schietzel
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael P Horn
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital Universitatsspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Aeberli
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Amsler
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Burkhard Möller
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Linet M Njue
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cesare Medri
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne Angelillo-Scherrer
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Luca Borradori
- Department of Dermatology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Andrew Chan
- Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert Hoepner
- Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Bacher
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laila-Yasmin Mani
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joseena Mariam Iype
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital Universitatsspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia Staehelin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael Nagler
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital Universitatsspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cedric Hirzel
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Britta Maurer
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias B Moor
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Moor MB, Suter-Riniker F, Horn MP, Aeberli D, Amsler J, Möller B, Njue LM, Medri C, Angelillo-Scherrer A, Borradori L, Radonjic-Hoesli S, Seyed Jafari SM, Chan A, Hoepner R, Bacher VU, Mani LY, Iype JM, Hirzel C, Maurer B, Sidler D. Humoral and cellular responses to mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with a history of CD20 B-cell-depleting therapy (RituxiVac): an investigator-initiated, single-centre, open-label study. Lancet Rheumatol 2021; 3:e789-e797. [PMID: 34514436 PMCID: PMC8423431 DOI: 10.1016/s2665-9913(21)00251-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND B-cell-depleting therapies increase the risk of morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. Evidence-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccination strategies for patients on B-cell-depleting therapies are scarce. We aimed to investigate humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-based vaccines in patients receiving CD20-targeted B-cell-depleting agents for autoimmune disease, malignancy, or transplantation. METHODS The RituxiVac study was an investigator-initiated, single-centre, open-label study done at the Bern University Hospital (Bern, Switzerland). Patients with a treatment history of anti-CD20-depleting agents (rituximab or ocrelizumab) and with no previous history of SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled between April 26 and June 30, 2021, for analysis of humoral and cell-mediated immune responses (by interferon-γ [IFNγ] release assay) at least 4 weeks after completing vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Healthy controls without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection were also enrolled at least 4 weeks after completing vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. All study participants received two doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine or the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a history of anti-CD20 treatment who showed a humoral immune response against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in comparison with immunocompetent controls. Prespecified secondary endpoints were the effect of anti-CD20 therapy (including time since last treatment and cumulative dose) on humoral or cell-mediated immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, and biomarkers of immunocompetence. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04877496. FINDINGS The final study population comprised 96 patients and 29 immunocompetent controls. The median age of patients was 67 years (IQR 57-72) and of controls was 54 years (45-62), and 51 (53%) of 96 patients and 19 (66%) of 29 controls were female. The median time since last anti-CD20 treatment was 1·07 years (IQR 0·48-2·55) and the median cumulative dose of an anti-CD20 depleting agent was 2·80 g (1·50-5·00). Anti-spike IgG antibodies were detected in 47 (49%) of 96 patients 1·79 months (IQR 1·16-2·48) after the second vaccine dose compared to 29 (100%) of 29 controls 1·81 months (1·17-2·48) after the second vaccine dose (p<0·001). SARS-CoV-2-specific IFNγ release was detected in 13 (20%) of 66 patients and 21 (75%) of 28 of healthy controls (p<0·001). Only nine (14%) of 66 patients were double positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG and cell-mediated responses, compared with 21 (75%) of 28 healthy controls (p<0·001). Time since last anti-CD20 therapy (>7·6 months; positive predictive value 0·78), peripheral CD19+ cell count (>27 cells per μL; positive predictive value 0·70), and CD4+ lymphocyte count (>653 cells per μL; positive predictive value 0·71) were predictive of humoral vaccine response (area under the curve [AUC] 67% [95% CI 56-78] for time since last anti-CD20 therapy, 67% [55-80] for peripheral CD19+ count, and 66% [54-79] for CD4+ count). INTERPRETATION This study provides further evidence of blunted humoral and cell-mediated immune responses elicited by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in patients with a history of CD20 B-cell-depleting treatment. Lymphocyte subpopulation counts were associated with vaccine response in this highly vulnerable population. On validation, these results could help guide both the administration of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and B-cell-depleting agents in this population. FUNDING Bern University Hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias B Moor
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Michael P Horn
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Aeberli
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Amsler
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Burkhard Möller
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Linet M Njue
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cesare Medri
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne Angelillo-Scherrer
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Luca Borradori
- Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Radonjic-Hoesli
- Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - S Morteza Seyed Jafari
- Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andrew Chan
- Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert Hoepner
- Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Vera Ulrike Bacher
- Department of Haematology and Central Haematology Laboratory, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laila-Yasmin Mani
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joseena Mariam Iype
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cédric Hirzel
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Britta Maurer
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Sidler
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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