A fourth dose of the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine redistributes humoral immunity to the N-terminal domain.

Abstract

The effectiveness of a 3^rd dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines waned quickly in the Omicron-predominant period. In response to fast-waning immunity and the threat of Omicron variant of concern (VOC) to healthcare workers (HCWs), we conduct a non-randomized trial (ChiCTR2200055564) in which 38 HCWs volunteer to receive a homologous booster of inactivated vaccines (BBIBP-CorV) 6 months after the 3^rd dose. The primary and secondary outcomes are neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and the receptor-binding domain (RBD)-directed antibodies, respectively. The 4^th dose recalls waned immunity while having distinct effects on humoral responses to different antigens. The peak antibody response to the RBD induced by the 4^th dose is inferior to that after the 3^rd dose, whereas responses to the N-terminal domain (NTD) of spike protein are further strengthened significantly. Accordingly, the 4^th dose further elevates the peak level of NAbs against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron BA.2, but not BA.1 which has more NTD mutations. No severe adverse events related to vaccination are recorded during the trial. Here, we show that redistribution of immune focus after repeated vaccinations may modulate cross-protective immune responses against different VOCs.