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Much scientific and media attention during the pandemic has focused on antibodies, and sometimes T cells, as markers of immunity against SARS-CoV-2. In a study published July 12 in Nature, researchers took a more holistic approach, called systems vaccinology, to see how Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine activates the immune system—and found that in addition to inducing antibodies and T cells against the virus, the second shot also kicks a fast-acting, general antiviral immune response into gear.
The authors looked at 56 volunteers, collecting blood samples before they received the first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine and then at later time points, including one and six months after the second jab. The team analyzed the blood samples using a suite of techniques to see how the vaccine was affecting all aspects of the immune response beyond long-lasting T and B cell activity. B cells produce antibodies, ...
