SummaryThe mRNA-based BNT162b2 vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech was the first registered COVID-19 vaccine and has been shown to be up to 95% effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections. Little is known about the broad effects of the new class of mRNA vaccines, especially whether they have combined effects on innate and adaptive immune responses. Here we confirmed that BNT162b2 vaccination of healthy individuals induced effective humoral and cellular immunity against several SARS-CoV-2 variants. Interestingly, however, the BNT162b2 vaccine also modulated the production of inflammatory cytokines by innate immune cells upon stimulation with both specific (SARS-CoV-2) and non-specific (viral, fungal and bacterial) stimuli. The response of innate immune cells to TLR4 and TLR7/8 ligands was lower after BNT162b2 vaccination, while fungi-induced cytokine responses were stronger. In conclusion, the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine induces complex functional reprogramming of innate immune responses, which should be considered in the development and use of this new class of vaccines.
Föhse, F. Konstantin and Geckin, Büsranur and Overheul, Gijs J. and van de Maat, Josephine and Kilic, Gizem and Bulut, Ozlem and Dijkstra, Helga and Lemmers, Heidi and Sarlea, S. Andrei and Reijnders, Maartje and Hoogerwerf, Jacobien and ten Oever, Jaap and Simonetti, Elles and van de Veerdonk, Frank L. and Joosten, Leo A.B. and Haagmans, Bart L. and Van Crevel, Reinout and Li, Yang and van Rij, Ronald P. and Geurtsvan Kessel, Corine and de Jonge, Marien I. and Domínguez-Andrés, Jorge and Netea, Mihai G., The BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2 Reprograms Both Adaptive and Innate Immune Responses. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3839624 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3839624
This version of the paper has not been formally peer reviewed.