SARS-CoV-2-specific B cell responses in non-draining lymph nodes and antibody functionalities in immunized end-stage renal disease patients
Frölke, Sophie C; Geers, Daryl; Amirkhan, Kenney G; Pathmarajah, Danisha Sri; van der Bom-Baylon, Nelly; Idu, Mirza M; van Gils, Marit; Claireaux, Mathieu; Geerlings, Suzanne E; Rispens, Theo; de Vries, Rory D; van Binnendijk, Rob; Remmerswaal, Ester BM; van Aalderen, Michiel C; Bemelman, Frederike J
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Journal Article
Article
Article
Language
en
Date
2025-12-22
Research Projects
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Journal Issue
Title
SARS-CoV-2-specific B cell responses in non-draining lymph nodes and antibody functionalities in immunized end-stage renal disease patients
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Abstract
The degree to which COVID-19 vaccination induces B-cell responses in non-draining lymph nodes (LNs) is unknown. Therefore, non-draining iliac LNs and paired peripheral blood (PB) of end-stage renal disease patients were retrieved during kidney transplantation. Prior, participants received two ( = 5), three ( = 4), or four mRNA-based vaccinations ( = 3) and 4 patients had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, of whom 2 received two vaccinations. Samples were obtained on average 79 days post-vaccination and 162 days post-infection. Spike S1(S)-binding B-cells were detected in LNs and PB 210 and 243 days after vaccination and infection, respectively. These B-cells predominantly consisted of IgG-secreting plasmablasts. In serum, a decreased IgG1/IgG4 ratio upon repeated vaccination, coherent with high fractions of S-binding IgG4 in LNs, correlated with reduced Fc-mediated functionalities but not neutralization capacity. Thus, mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination could induce a systemic and long-lived, highly functional virus-specific B-cell response. Understanding IgG4 skewing is important for future vaccination strategies, especially in immunocompromised populations.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-27815-y.