Long-lasting antibody B-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 three years after the onset of the pandemic
Immune memory is essential for the effectiveness of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination. In the current context of the pandemic, with a diminished vaccine efficacy against emerging variants, it remains crucial to perform long-term studies to evaluate the durability and quality of immune responses. Here, we examined the antibody and memory B-cell responses in a cohort of 113 healthcare workers with distinct exposure histories over a 3-year period. Previously infected and naive participants developed comparable humoral responses by 17 months after receiving a full three-dose mRNA vaccination. In addition, both maintained a substantial SARS-CoV-2-reactive memory B-cell pool, associated with a lower incidence of breakthrough infections in naive participants. Of note, previously infected participants developed an expanded SARS-CoV-2-reactive CD27<sup>-</sup>CD21<sup>-</sup> atypical B-cell population that remained stable throughout the follow-up period. Thus, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection differentially imprints the memory B-cell compartment without compromising the development of long-lasting humoral responses.
Authors
- Marta Vidal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6891-7032)
- Ester Aparicio
- Benjamin Trinité (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3809-042X)
- Anna Ramírez‐Morros (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8263-1292)
- Josep Vidal‐Alaball (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3527-4242)
- Pere Santamaría (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3469-1586)
- Alfons Jiménez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0301-3344)
- Sílvia Marfil (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0139-5000)
- Gemma Moncunill (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5105-9836)
- Luís Izquierdo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3704-9874)
- Ruth Aguilar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3277-3107)
- Diana Barrios (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9929-5707)
- Edwards Pradenas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5162-8920)
- Luis M. Molinos‐Albert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5447-6803)
- Pau Serra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5653-6400)
- Rocío Rubio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0448-3404)
- Anna Ruiz‐Comellas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2848-2326)
- Julià Blanco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-0217)
- Carlota Dobaño (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6751-4060)
- Mar Canyelles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3043-7612)
- Cèlia Torres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2521-4721)
- Carla Martín-Pérez
Institutions
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ES)
- Consorci Institut D'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi I Sunyer (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cell Reports
- Published
- 2025-04-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115498
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.58