Prediction and characterisation of the human B cell response to a heterologous two-dose Ebola vaccine.

O'Connor D., Clutterbuck EA., Gibani MM., Bibi S., Sanders KA., Makinson R., Kelly DF., Pollard AJ.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks are increasing, posing significant threats to affected communities. Effective outbreak management depends on protecting frontline health workers, a key focus of EVD vaccination strategies. IgG specific to the viral glycoprotein serves as the correlate of protection for recent vaccine licensures. Using advanced cellular and transcriptomic analyses, we examined B cell responses to the Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo EVD vaccine. Our findings reveal robust plasma cell and lasting B cell memory responses post-vaccination. Machine-learning models trained on blood gene expression predicted antibody response magnitude. Notably, we identified a unique B cell receptor CDRH3 sequence post-vaccination resembling known Orthoebolavirus zairense (EBOV) glycoprotein-binding antibodies. Single-cell analyses further detailed changes in plasma cell frequency, subclass usage, and CDRH3 properties. These results highlight the predictive power of early immune responses, captured through systems immunology, in shaping vaccine-induced B cell immunity.

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-61571-x

Type

Journal article

Journal

Nat Commun

Publication Date

09/07/2025

Volume

16

Keywords

Humans, Ebola Vaccines, B-Lymphocytes, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola, Ebolavirus, Antibodies, Viral, Plasma Cells, Immunoglobulin G, Vaccination, Immunologic Memory, Single-Cell Analysis, Machine Learning, Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell, Female

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