Evidence of premature lymphocyte aging in people with low anti-spike antibody levels after BNT162b2 vaccination

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have unquestionably blunted the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but host factors such as age, sex, obesity, and other co-morbidities can affect vaccine efficacy. We identified individuals in a relatively healthy population of healthcare workers (CORALE study cohort) who had unexpectedly low peak anti-spike receptor binding domain (S-RBD) antibody levels after receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine. Compared to matched controls, “low responders” had fewer spike-specific antibody-producing B cells after the second and third/booster doses. Moreover, their spike-specific T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire had less depth and their CD4(+) and CD8(+)T cell responses to spike peptide stimulation were less robust. Single cell transcriptomic evaluation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed activation of aging pathways in low responder B and CD4(+)T cells that could underlie their attenuated anti-S-RBD antibody production. Premature lymphocyte aging may therefore contribute to a less effective humoral response and could reduce vaccination efficacy.