Rafael C as el la s , T he od or a Hatziioannou, Paul D. Bieniasz & M ic hel C. Nussenzweig This is a PDF file of a peer-reviewed paper that has been accepted for publication. Although unedited, the content has been subjected to preliminary formatting. Nature is providing this early version of the typeset paper as a service to our authors and readers. The text and figures will undergo copyediting and a proof review before the paper is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

To date severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected over 100 million individuals resulting in over two million deaths. Many vaccines are being deployed to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) including two novel mRNA-based vaccines1,2. These vaccines elicit neutralizing antibodies and appear to be safe and effective, but the precise nature of the elicited antibodies is not known3–6. Here we report on the antibody and memory B cell responses in a cohort of 20 volunteers who received either the Moderna (mRNA-1273) or Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccines. Consistent with prior reports, 8 weeks after the second vaccine injection volunteers showed high levels of IgM, and IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) and receptor binding domain (RBD) binding titers3,5,6. Moreover, the plasma neutralizing activity, and the relative numbers of RBD-specific memory B cells were equivalent to individuals who recovered from natural infection7,8. However, activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants encoding E484K or N501Y or the K417N:E484K:N501Y combination was reduced by a small but significant margin. Consistent with these findings, vaccine-elicited monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) potently neutralize SARS-CoV-2, targeting a number of different RBD epitopes in common with mAbs isolated from infected donors. Structural analyses of mAbs complexed with S trimer suggest that vaccine- and virus-encoded S adopts similar conformations to induce equivalent anti-RBD antibodies. However, neutralization by 14 of the 17 most potent mAbs tested was reduced or abolished by either K417N, or E484K, or N501Y mutations. Notably, the same mutations were selected when recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)/SARS-CoV-2 S was cultured in the presence of the vaccine elicited mAbs. Taken together the results suggest that the monoclonal antibodies in clinical use should be tested against newly arising variants, and that mRNA vaccines may need to be updated periodically to avoid potential loss of clinical efficacy.

Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are a promising new immunotherapy. The first step in manufacturing is to collect autologous CD3+ lymphocytes by apheresis. Patients, however, are often leukopenic or have other disease-related complications. We evaluated the feasibility of collecting adequate numbers of CD3+ cells, risk factors for inadequate collections, and the rate of adverse events. Study Design Apheresis lymphocyte collections from patients participating in 3 CAR T cell clinical trials were reviewed. Collections were performed on the COBE Spectra by experienced nurses, with the goal of obtaining a minimum of 0.6×109 and a target of 2×109 CD3+ cells. Pre-apheresis peripheral blood counts, apheresis parameters, and product cell counts were analyzed. Results Of the 71 collections, 69 (97%) achieved the minimum and 55 (77%) achieved the target. Before apheresis, the 16 patients with yields below the target had significantly lower proportions and absolute numbers of circulating lymphocytes and CD3+ lymphocytes, and higher proportions of circulating blasts and NK cells than those who achieved the target (470 vs. 1340 lymphocytes/μL, p=0.008; 349 vs. 914 CD3+ cells/μL, p=0.001; 17.6% vs. 4.55% blasts, p=0.029). Enrichment of blasts in the product compared to the peripheral blood occurred in 4 patients, including the 2 patients whose collections did not yield the minimum number of CD3+ cells. Apheresis complications occurred in 11 patients (15%), and with one exception, were easily managed in the apheresis clinic. Conclusions In most patients undergoing CAR T cell therapy, leukapheresis is well-tolerated and adequate numbers of CD3+ lymphocytes are collected.

Summary The reported frequency of D alloimmunization in D- recipients after transfusion of D+ platelets varies. This study was designed to determine the frequency of D alloimmunization, previously reported to be an average of 5%±2%. A primary anti-D immune response was defined as the detection of anti-D ≥28 days following the first D+ platelet transfusion. Data were collected on 485 D- recipients of D+ platelets in 11 centres between 2010-2012. Their median age was 60 (range 2-100) years. Diagnoses included: haematological (203/485, 42%), oncological (64/485, 13%) and other diseases (218/485, 45%). Only 7/485 (1.44%; 95%CI 0.58-2.97%) recipients had a primary anti-D response after a median serological follow-up of 77 days (range: 28-2111). There were no statistically significant differences between the primary anti-D formers and the other patients, in terms of gender, age, receipt of immunosuppressive therapy, proportion of patients with haematological/oncological diseases, transfusion of whole blood-derived or apheresis platelets or both, and total number of transfused platelet products. This is the largest study with the longest follow-up of D alloimmunization following D+ platelet transfusion. The low frequency of D alloimmunization should be considered when deciding whether to administer Rh Immune Globulin to D- males and D- females without childbearing potential after transfusion of D+ platelets.

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