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Study Finds Stable Autoantibody Profiles 6 Months After COVID-19 Booster

A recent 2026 study published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics found no significant changes in circulating autoantibody profiles six months after COVID-19 booster vaccination in healthy adults. The findings offer new evidence about immune stability following a mixed-platform vaccination regimen and contribute to research investigating potential connections between vaccination and autoimmunity.

Examining Autoantibodies Following COVID-19 Vaccination

Researchers at Universiti Sains Malaysia examined the autoantibodyome, the collection of antibodies that recognize the body’s own proteins, in 30 healthy adults who received two doses of CoronaVac, an inactivated-virus vaccine, followed by a Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA booster.

Using a protein microarray, researchers assessed antibody reactivity against 1,610 human proteins associated with autoimmune diseases, cancer, and immune regulation. After quality-control filtering, 534 autoantigens were included in the detailed analysis. Blood samples collected before vaccination were compared with samples obtained 26 weeks after the booster.

The researchers found no statistically significant changes in autoantibody reactivity across the analyzed proteins. Overall autoantibody profiles remained stable, including among participants who experienced mild breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections during the study period.

What the Findings Mean for Autoimmune Disease Research

Autoantibodies are often associated with autoimmune diseases, but they can also occur naturally in healthy individuals without causing illness. Previous research has identified common autoantibodies in healthy people, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing normal immune activity from potentially disease-associated responses.

Because vaccination activates the immune system, researchers have investigated whether it can also influence the production of autoantibodies. This study found no evidence of sustained, widespread changes in the measured autoantibody repertoire following the specific CoronaVac–BNT162b2 vaccination regimen.

However, the study included only 30 predominantly young, healthy adults and evaluated autoantibodies at two time points. It could not determine whether temporary changes occurred between measurements or rule out rare or delayed autoimmune complications. Larger studies involving more diverse populations, including individuals with existing autoimmune diseases, are needed.

The findings demonstrate how comprehensive autoantibody profiling can help researchers investigate immune responses following vaccination and assess potential changes associated with autoimmune disease.

Citation

Mat Yassim, A. S., Mohd Hisham, A. A., Mohd Rosdan, B. S., Tan, T. M., Anuar, N. D., Mohamed Hashim, E. K., & Norazmi, M. N. (2026). Absence of autoantibodies linked to cancer and autoimmune disorders 26 weeks after BNT162b2 boosting in CoronaVac- primed individuals. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics, 22(1), 2661499. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2026.2661499