PROPERTIES OF RBD SPECIFIC IGG FROM COVID-19 PATIENTS AND SPUTNIK V VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody response is a generally accepted measure of postinfection and vaccination-induced immunity assessment. The dynamics of avidity maturation and neutralizing activity of virus-specific immunoglobulins G during the SARS-CoV-2–associated coronavirus infection was studied in cohorts of vaccinated volunteers and COVID-19 patients. 4–6 months after vaccination, neutralization activity was low compared to hospitalized patients (medians 57.4% vs 86.4%). On the opposite, the avidity indices in vaccinated volunteers were significantly higher (median 76.7%) than among hospitalized patients (median 61.4%). During the acute phase of the disease (14–16 days PI), post-vaccination patients have also higher avidity indices than primary patients (medians 43.5% vs 20.4%). Our results suggest that in long-term perspective antibody affinity maturation rate is higher after vaccination than after a natural infection. We demonstrated that Sputnik V vaccination leads to formation of high-avidity IgG, which persists for at least 6 months of observation. These results also indicate the presence of protective efficacy markers for at least 4–6 months after the vaccination or a previous illness and gives grounds for the half-year time period chosen for booster immunization with Sputnik V in Russia.