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J Infect
. 2021 Jul 25;S0163-4453(21)00362-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2021.07.019. Online ahead of print.
Cross-neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and P.1 variants in vaccinated, convalescent and P.1 infected
Anna Gidari 1 , Samuele Sabbatini 2 , Sabrina Bastianelli 3 , Sara Pierucci 3 , Chiara Busti 3 , Claudia Monari 2 , Barbara Luciani Pasqua 4 , Filippo Dragoni 5 , Elisabetta Schiaroli 3 , Maurizio Zazzi 5 , Daniela Francisci 3
Affiliations
- PMID: 34320390
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2021.07.019
Abstract
Objectives: The emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) around the world significantly complicated the exit from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum neutralizing activity of three cohorts.
Methods: BNT162b2-elicited serum (N=103), candidates as hyper-immune plasma donors (N=90) and patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant (N=22) were enrolled. Three strains of SARS-CoV-2 have been tested: 20A.EU1, B.1.1.7 (alpha) and P.1 (gamma). Neutralizing antibodies (NT-Abs) titers against SARS-CoV-2 were evaluated.
Results: B.1.1.7 and P.1 are less efficiently neutralized by convalescent wild-type infected serums if compared to 20A.EU1 strain (mean titer 1.6 and 6.7-fold lower respectively). BNT162b2 vaccine-elicited human sera show an equivalent neutralization potency on the B.1.1.7 but it is significantly lower for the P.1 variant (mean titer 3.3-fold lower). Convalescent P.1 patients are less protected from other SARS-CoV-2 strains with an important reduction of neutralizing antibodies against 20A.EU1 and B.1.1.7, about 12.2 and 10.9-fold, respectively.
Conclusions: BNT162b2 vaccine confers immunity against all the tested VOCs, while previous SARS-CoV-2 infection may be less protective.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; antibodies; neutralizing; vaccine; variant.