Longitudinal quantification of serum SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies, pro-inflammatory cytokines, NfL and GFAP before and after breakthrough COVID-19 infection in CNS neuroimmunological diseases: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND

Immunosuppressive treatment can attenuate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine-induced immune responses. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 has neuroinvasive potential and may induce a persistent pro-inflammatory milieu following infection.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate if diminished post-vaccine humoral responses can be overcome with additional vaccine doses and/or breakthrough COVID-19 infections, and if COVID-19 infection can lead to a pro-inflammatory state with neuroaxonal/neuroglial injury in the intermediate-term in patients with central nervous system (CNS) neuroimmunological diseases.

DESIGN

A prospective observational study conducted at National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore.

METHODS

Serum levels of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies (NAbs) were measured in patients with CNS neuroimmunological diseases following their fourth SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine (V4), or after breakthrough COVID-19 infection following three prior SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations, or both. Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) were evaluated post-COVID-19 infection and post-V4, compared to baseline within individuals. Serum neurofilament-light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), biomarkers of neuroaxonal and astroglial injury, respectively, were measured at baseline and post-COVID-19 infection within patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

RESULTS

Sixty-one patients with various CNS neuroimmunological diseases were recruited, including 34 with MS and 19 with NMOSD. All had received at least three doses of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. Patients on anti-CD20/sphingosine-1-phosphate-receptor modulators (S1PRM) showed significantly reduced NAbs levels in both post-V4 and post-COVID-19 infection scenarios, compared to patients on other immunotherapies. No significant differences between baseline and post-COVID-19 infection concentrations of IL-6 and TNF were observed. Within RRMS and NMOSD patients, NfL and GFAP levels remained similar between baseline and post-COVID-19 infection.

CONCLUSION

Anti-CD20/S1PRM treatments are associated with persistently diminished humoral responses post-V4/infection. Patients with CNS neuroimmunological diseases do not show biomarker evidence of intermediate-term pro-inflammatory states and neural injury after COVID-19 infection.