tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Microbiol Spectr
. 2022 Jun 15;e0074322.
doi: 10.1128/spectrum.00743-22. Online ahead of print.
Anti-Spike Antibody Response to Natural Infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Its Activity against Emerging Variants
Cheng-Pin Chen[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kuan-Ying A Huang[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 3 4 5 [/SUP], Shin-Ru Shih[SUP] 3 6 5 [/SUP], Yi-Chun Lin[SUP] 1 7 [/SUP], Chien-Yu Cheng[SUP] 1 8 [/SUP], Yhu-Chering Huang[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tzou-Yien Lin[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Shu-Hsing Cheng[SUP] 1 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has substantially affected human health globally. Spike-specific antibody response plays a major role in protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we examined serological anti-spike antibody and memory B cell responses in adults with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Twenty-five adult patients were enrolled between January and September 2020, and 21 (84%) had a detectable spike-binding antibody response in serum on day 21 ± 8 (6 to 33) after the onset of illness. Among those with positive spike-binding antibody response, 19 (90%) had a positive hemagglutination titer and 15 (71%) had angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-blocking serological activities. Follow-up serum samples collected 11 ± 1 (7 to 15) months after infection exhibited an average of 2.6 ± 1.0 (1.0 to 3.5)-fold reduction in the spike-binding antibody response. Moreover, convalescent and follow-up serum samples showed 83 ± 82 (15 to 306)- and 165 ± 167 (12 to 456)-fold reductions in the neutralization activity against the Omicron variant, respectively. Upon acute infection, spike-specific memory B cell responses were elicited, with an average frequency of 1.3% ± 1.2% of peripheral B cells on day 19 ± 7 (6 to 33) after the onset of illness. IgM memory B cells were predominantly induced. Patients with fever and pneumonia showed significantly stronger spike-binding, ACE2-blocking antibody, and memory B cell responses. In conclusion, spike-specific antibody response elicited upon acute SARS-CoV-2 infection may wane over time and be compromised by the emergence of viral variants. IMPORTANCE As spike protein-specific antibody responses play a major role in protection against SARS-CoV-2, we examined spike-binding and ACE2-blocking antibody responses in SARS-CoV-2 infection at different time points. We found robust responses following acute infection, which waned approximately 11 months after infection. Patients with fever and pneumonia showed significantly stronger spike-binding, ACE2-blocking antibody, and memory B cell responses. In particular, spike-specific antibody response in the convalescent and follow-up serum samples was substantially affected by emerging variants, especially Beta and Omicron variants. These results warrant continued surveillance of spike-specific antibody responses to natural infections and highlight the importance of maintaining functional anti-spike antibodies through immunization.
Keywords: COVID-19; Omicron; SARS-CoV-2; memory B cell; neutralization antibody.
. 2022 Jun 15;e0074322.
doi: 10.1128/spectrum.00743-22. Online ahead of print.
Anti-Spike Antibody Response to Natural Infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Its Activity against Emerging Variants
Cheng-Pin Chen[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kuan-Ying A Huang[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 3 4 5 [/SUP], Shin-Ru Shih[SUP] 3 6 5 [/SUP], Yi-Chun Lin[SUP] 1 7 [/SUP], Chien-Yu Cheng[SUP] 1 8 [/SUP], Yhu-Chering Huang[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tzou-Yien Lin[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Shu-Hsing Cheng[SUP] 1 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35703556
- DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00743-22
Abstract
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has substantially affected human health globally. Spike-specific antibody response plays a major role in protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we examined serological anti-spike antibody and memory B cell responses in adults with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Twenty-five adult patients were enrolled between January and September 2020, and 21 (84%) had a detectable spike-binding antibody response in serum on day 21 ± 8 (6 to 33) after the onset of illness. Among those with positive spike-binding antibody response, 19 (90%) had a positive hemagglutination titer and 15 (71%) had angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-blocking serological activities. Follow-up serum samples collected 11 ± 1 (7 to 15) months after infection exhibited an average of 2.6 ± 1.0 (1.0 to 3.5)-fold reduction in the spike-binding antibody response. Moreover, convalescent and follow-up serum samples showed 83 ± 82 (15 to 306)- and 165 ± 167 (12 to 456)-fold reductions in the neutralization activity against the Omicron variant, respectively. Upon acute infection, spike-specific memory B cell responses were elicited, with an average frequency of 1.3% ± 1.2% of peripheral B cells on day 19 ± 7 (6 to 33) after the onset of illness. IgM memory B cells were predominantly induced. Patients with fever and pneumonia showed significantly stronger spike-binding, ACE2-blocking antibody, and memory B cell responses. In conclusion, spike-specific antibody response elicited upon acute SARS-CoV-2 infection may wane over time and be compromised by the emergence of viral variants. IMPORTANCE As spike protein-specific antibody responses play a major role in protection against SARS-CoV-2, we examined spike-binding and ACE2-blocking antibody responses in SARS-CoV-2 infection at different time points. We found robust responses following acute infection, which waned approximately 11 months after infection. Patients with fever and pneumonia showed significantly stronger spike-binding, ACE2-blocking antibody, and memory B cell responses. In particular, spike-specific antibody response in the convalescent and follow-up serum samples was substantially affected by emerging variants, especially Beta and Omicron variants. These results warrant continued surveillance of spike-specific antibody responses to natural infections and highlight the importance of maintaining functional anti-spike antibodies through immunization.
Keywords: COVID-19; Omicron; SARS-CoV-2; memory B cell; neutralization antibody.