Their small study of 65 volunteers who were initially given two doses of Pfizer / BioNTech’s vaccine found that using the J&J Janssen vaccine as a booster induces a slower antibody response. but more durable against the original strain, as well as Delta and Beta. they say.
Their research shows that the Pfizer/BioNTech booster produces a faster and stronger immune response, with a faster drop.
“Both vaccines raised antibody titers very well. At week 4, neutralizing antibody levels were similar,” said Dr. Dan Barouch of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, who led the team, told CNN.
But after four weeks, antibody levels began to decrease in those boosted with the Pfizer vaccine while continuing to rise in those given the J&J vaccine. J&J’s vaccine also increases the number of immune cells called CD8 T cells.
Antibodies are a first line of immune defense that can prevent viruses from infecting cells, while T cells enter later and destroy infected cells. This T-cell protection doesn’t prevent mild infections, but can prevent them from progressing to serious illness.
While the study did not include the Omicron variant, Barouch said the findings could be important for figuring out how to combat the latest variant.
“For variants like Omicron that can partially evade antibody responses, CD8 T-cell responses may be particularly relevant for protection,” he said. “We think they are related in general but they could become particularly relevant if a variant emerges that can largely escape the antibodies.”
“Now we don’t know that for sure about Omicron, but as I’m sure you know, there’s a lot of concern or speculation that it could lead to at least some degree, possibly a remarkable degree. Well, get rid of the vaccine. make the antibodies. For a boost, you want a boost to increase both the antibody’s and the T-cell’s response.”
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