tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Transl Res
. 2021 Feb 11;S1931-5244(21)00029-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2021.02.006. Online ahead of print.
Immunogenicity and crossreactivity of antibodies to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2: utility and limitations in seroprevalence and immunity studies
Carlota Doba?o[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rebeca Santano[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alfons Jim?nez[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Marta Vidal[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jordi Chi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Natalia Rodrigo Melero[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Matija Popovic[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rub?n L?pez-Aladid[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Laia Fern?ndez-Barat[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Marta Tortajada[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Francisco Carmona-Torre[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Gabriel Reina[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Antoni Torres[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Alfredo Mayor[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Carlo Carolis[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Alberto L Garc?a-Basteiro[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Ruth Aguilar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Gemma Moncunill[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Luis Izquierdo[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
COVID-19 patients elicit strong responses to the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 but binding antibodies are also detected in prepandemic individuals, indicating potential crossreactivity with common cold human coronaviruses (HCoV) and questioning its utility in seroprevalence studies. We investigated the immunogenicity of the full-length and shorter fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein, and the crossreactivity of antibodies with HCoV. We indentified a C-terminus region in SARS-CoV2 N of minimal sequence homology with HCoV that was more specific and highly immunogenic. IgGs to the full-length SARS-CoV-2 N also recognised N229E N, and IgGs to HKU1 N recognised SARS-CoV-2 N. Crossreactivity with SARS-CoV-2 was stronger for alpha- rather than beta-HCoV despite having less sequence identity, revealing the importance of conformational recognition. Higher preexisting IgG to OC43 N correlated with lower IgG to SARS-CoV-2 in rRT-PCR negative individuals, reflecting less exposure and indicating a potential protective association. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 N were higher in patients with more severe and longer symptoms and in females. IgGs remained stable for at least 3 months, while IgAs and IgMs declined faster. In conclusion, N protein is a primary target of SARS-CoV-2-specific and HCoV crossreactive antibodies, both of which may affect the acquisition of immunity to COVID-19.
Keywords: 229E; Antibody; COVID-19; HKU1; IgA; IgG; IgM; Luminex; NL63; OC43; SARS-CoV-2; crossreactivity; human coronavirus; immunoassay; multiplex; nucleocapsid; quantitative suspension array technology; serology.
. 2021 Feb 11;S1931-5244(21)00029-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2021.02.006. Online ahead of print.
Immunogenicity and crossreactivity of antibodies to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2: utility and limitations in seroprevalence and immunity studies
Carlota Doba?o[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rebeca Santano[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alfons Jim?nez[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Marta Vidal[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jordi Chi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Natalia Rodrigo Melero[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Matija Popovic[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rub?n L?pez-Aladid[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Laia Fern?ndez-Barat[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Marta Tortajada[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Francisco Carmona-Torre[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Gabriel Reina[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Antoni Torres[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Alfredo Mayor[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Carlo Carolis[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Alberto L Garc?a-Basteiro[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Ruth Aguilar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Gemma Moncunill[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Luis Izquierdo[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33582244
- DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2021.02.006
Abstract
COVID-19 patients elicit strong responses to the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 but binding antibodies are also detected in prepandemic individuals, indicating potential crossreactivity with common cold human coronaviruses (HCoV) and questioning its utility in seroprevalence studies. We investigated the immunogenicity of the full-length and shorter fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein, and the crossreactivity of antibodies with HCoV. We indentified a C-terminus region in SARS-CoV2 N of minimal sequence homology with HCoV that was more specific and highly immunogenic. IgGs to the full-length SARS-CoV-2 N also recognised N229E N, and IgGs to HKU1 N recognised SARS-CoV-2 N. Crossreactivity with SARS-CoV-2 was stronger for alpha- rather than beta-HCoV despite having less sequence identity, revealing the importance of conformational recognition. Higher preexisting IgG to OC43 N correlated with lower IgG to SARS-CoV-2 in rRT-PCR negative individuals, reflecting less exposure and indicating a potential protective association. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 N were higher in patients with more severe and longer symptoms and in females. IgGs remained stable for at least 3 months, while IgAs and IgMs declined faster. In conclusion, N protein is a primary target of SARS-CoV-2-specific and HCoV crossreactive antibodies, both of which may affect the acquisition of immunity to COVID-19.
Keywords: 229E; Antibody; COVID-19; HKU1; IgA; IgG; IgM; Luminex; NL63; OC43; SARS-CoV-2; crossreactivity; human coronavirus; immunoassay; multiplex; nucleocapsid; quantitative suspension array technology; serology.