Influence of gut microbiota and metabolic functions on the immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and is accompanied by an altered gut microbiota and functional profile. Increasing evidence indicates that the gut microbiota may exert a key role in vaccination immunity. Here, we aimed to investigate whether the human gut microbiota and metabolic function correlate with the COVID-19 vaccination response. A total of 207 healthy participants who received the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine at Days 0 and 28 were enrolled, and their fecal and serum samples were collected. The gut microbiome and the related metabolic functions were investigated using metagenomic sequencing and metabolomic assays. Our study highlighted a close link between gut microbiome function and the COVID-19 vaccination response, providing evidence for further exploration of microbiome modulation to improve COVID-19 vaccine efficacy.