Research suggests that vaccination against COVID via mRNA vaccines may reduce body’s ability to produce key type of antibody.
Vaccines against the coronavirus may impair the body’s ability to produce a key type of antibody, thus potentially limiting the immune system’s defenses against mutated strains of the virus, a new study suggests.
The study draws upon data collected during Moderna’s randomized control trial for its mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, from July 2020 through March 2021.
Researchers looked at participants who tested positive for the coronavirus during the trial, comparing serum levels of specific types of antibodies, based on vaccination status, as well as viral load.
In particular, the study looks at the antibody response to the virus’ nucleocapsid protein core, using the anti-nucleocapsid antibodies levels (anti-N Abs) as a marker for comprehensive immune system response to the virus, as opposed to the narrower response to the spike protein. Variants of SARS-CoV-2 with mutated spike proteins have been a subject of concern for the reliance of vaccinated immunity on antibodies targeting the s-proteins of the original variant.
As expected, serum levels of the anti-nucleocapsid antibodies varied based on measured viral load in both the placebo and vaccine cohorts, with participants who had higher viral loads found to have higher levels of neutralizing anti-nucleocapsid antibodies.
Researchers also found a pronounced difference, however, in the levels of anti-nucleocapsid antibodies between vaccinated participants and members of the placebo cohort, even when the study controlled for viral load.
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