๐ก This study explores the influence of baseline gut microbiota on immune responses to the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in healthy controls (HC) and people living with HIV (PLWH). The investigation is prompted by the observation of poor immunogenic responses in certain immunocompromised individuals.
The study reveals a significant correlation between gut microbiota diversity and composition and immunogenicity of the vaccine. Key bacterial genera such as ๐๐ช๐ง๐ช๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ค๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ด emerge as microbial markers associated with vaccine responses. The findings suggest the potential for microbiome modulation to optimize SARS-CoV-2 vaccine immunogenicity.
๐ Methods:
Study Population: Participants: Healthy controls (HC) and people living with HIV (PLWH).
Vaccine: BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
Sample Collection and Sequencing: Fecal samples collected at baseline.
16S rRNA sequencing used for microbiome analysis. Immunogenic responses measured through spike IgG titers and spike-specific CD4+ T-cell responses post-vaccination.
Data Analysis: Alpha-diversity metrics used to assess microbial diversity.
Correlation analyses between microbiome diversity and vaccine immunogenicity. Network analysis to identify bacterial genera associated with vaccine responses. Predictive models employed to identify microbial markers of vaccine responses.
๐ Key Findings:
๐ Microbial Diversity and Immunogenicity: Negative association between gut microbial alpha-diversity and spike IgG titers post-vaccination. Elevated spike-specific CD4+ T-cell responses linked to reduced microbiome diversity. Consistent with data from previous studies on other vaccines.
๐ Microbiome Composition and Vaccine Responses: Certain bacterial genera correlated with vaccine immunogenicity.
๐ Positive correlations: ๐๐จ๐ข๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ, ๐๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ด, ๐๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ด, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฑ๐ช๐ณ๐ข.
Negative correlations: ๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ด, ๐๐ฆ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ท๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ, ๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ค๐ฐ๐ค๐ค๐ข๐ค๐ฆ๐ข๐ฆ ๐๐๐089, ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐ฃ๐ณ๐บ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ข, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ถ๐ค๐ค๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ท๐ช๐ฃ๐ณ๐ช๐ฐ. ๐๐ช๐ง๐ช๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ค๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ identified as markers of higher spike IgG titers. ๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ด associated with low spike IgG titers.
๐ Age and Microbiome Associations: Younger participants with low alpha-diversity showed better vaccine immunogenicity. Positive association between age and alpha-diversity. Certain bacterial genera specific to younger individuals positively associated with spike IgG levels.
๐ Microbial Markers of Immunogenicity: ๐๐ช๐ง๐ช๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ค๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ associated with high spike IgG titers. ๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ด associated with low spike IgG titers.
This study establishes a significant link between baseline gut microbiota composition, diversity, and immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The identification of microbial markers associated with vaccine responses opens avenues for microbiome-centered interventions to enhance vaccine efficacy, particularly in populations with compromised immune systems. Further research is warranted to deepen our understanding of microbiota modulation of vaccine responses in diverse populations and disease conditions.
Link to the articles : http://tinyurl.com/bdhr82a5
