Cell Rep
. 2021 Jan 26;108737.
doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108737. Online ahead of print.
Cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV structural protein antibodies against SARS-CoV-2
Timothy A Bates 1 , Jules B Weinstein 1 , Scotland Farley 1 , Hans C Leier 1 , William B Messer 2 , Fikadu G Tafesse 3
Affiliations
- PMID: 33545052
- DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108737
Abstract
In the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there remain unanswered questions regarding the nature and significance of the humoral immune response toward other coronavirus infections. Here, we investigate the cross-reactivity of antibodies raised against the first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) for their reactivity toward SARS-CoV-2. We extensively characterize a selection of 10 antibodies covering all of the SARS-CoV structural proteins: spike, membrane, nucleocapsid, and envelope. Although nearly all of the examined SARS-CoV antibodies display some level of reactivity to SARS-CoV-2, we find only partial cross-neutralization for the spike antibodies. The implications of our work are two-fold. First, we establish a set of antibodies with known reactivity to both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which will allow further study of both viruses. Second, we provide empirical evidence of the high propensity for antibody cross-reactivity between distinct strains of human coronaviruses, which is critical information for designing diagnostic and vaccine strategies for COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; CSARS-CoV-2; antibody; cross-reactivity; envelope membrane; nucleocapsid; spike.