Polymorphism of the HLA system and weak antibody response to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine

The polymorphism of the HLA system has been extensively studied in COVID-19 infection, however there are no data about the role of HLA on vaccine response. We report here the HLA-A, -B, -C, and DRB1 allelic frequencies of n = 111 individuals after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, selected on the basis of lower antibody levels (<5% percentile) after the second dose among a total of n = 2569 vaccinees, and compare them with the frequencies of a reference population. We found that differences in the frequencies of the alleles HLA-A*03:01, A*33:03, B*58:01 and at least one haplotype (HLA-A*24:02 similar to C*07:01 similar to B*18:01 similar to DRB1*11:04) are associated with a weaker antibody response after vaccination, together with the age of vaccinees. Our results might suggest a role played by some HLA alleles or haplotypes in antibody production after the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, giving insights into the tracking of potentially susceptible individuals across populations. Further studies are needed to better define our exploratory findings and dissect the role of HLA polymorphism on response to anti-COVID-19 vaccines.

Automated summary

The HLA system polymorphism has been extensively studied in COVID-19 infection, but there is no data about its role in vaccine response. This study found that certain HLA alleles and haplotypes, along with age, are associated with a weaker antibody response after the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. These findings provide insights into tracking potentially susceptible individuals, but further research is needed to confirm and dissect the role of HLA polymorphism in response to anti-COVID-19 vaccines.