Ahmed Muna N, Abu Habib Ummay Salma, Abdallah Abdallah M, Emara Mohamed M, Pain Arnab, Althani Asmaa A, Nasrallah Gheyath K, Yassine Hadi M, Al-Khatib Hebah A
Biomedical Research Center, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, P.O. 2713, Qatar.
College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, P.O. 2713, Qatar.
J Gen Virol. 2025 May;106(5). doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.002108.
The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 circulating amongst highly immunized populations is anticipated to induce immunological pressures, potentially compromising existing immunity. This study investigates vaccine-induced immunity's impact on within-host diversity of Omicron variants and evaluates sub-consensus mutations at spike protein antigenic sites. Next-generation sequencing assessed the within-host diversity of 728 Omicron-positive samples (421 vaccinated; 307 unvaccinated). Quantitative analysis revealed limited vaccine impact, regardless of lineage, vaccine type or doses. Non-lineage mutations (39, 33 and 25 in BA.2*, BA.4* and BA.5* lineages, respectively) were detected, some showing higher incidence in vaccinated individuals. Six mutations detected at sub-consensus levels at antigenic sites suggest increased immune pressure on the spike protein in vaccinated individuals. Four high-prevalence antigenic mutations, absent from global GISAID sequences, were identified. Although within-host diversity did not significantly differ between vaccination statuses, detected mutations suggest that vaccine-induced immunity may influence within-host mutation patterns.
在高免疫人群中传播的新冠病毒奥密克戎变种预计会引发免疫压力，可能损害现有的免疫力。本研究调查了疫苗诱导的免疫对奥密克戎变种宿主内多样性的影响，并评估了刺突蛋白抗原位点的亚一致性突变。下一代测序评估了728份奥密克戎阳性样本（421份接种疫苗；307份未接种疫苗）的宿主内多样性。定量分析显示，无论谱系、疫苗类型或剂量如何，疫苗的影响有限。检测到非谱系突变（BA.2*、BA.4和BA.5谱系中分别有39、33和25个），其中一些在接种疫苗的个体中发生率更高。在抗原位点的亚一致性水平检测到六个突变，表明接种疫苗的个体中刺突蛋白的免疫压力增加。鉴定出四个在全球GISAID序列中不存在的高流行抗原性突变。虽然宿主内多样性在接种状态之间没有显著差异，但检测到的突变表明疫苗诱导的免疫可能会影响宿主内的突变模式。
