tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Eur J Immunol
. 2021 Jun 5.
doi: 10.1002/eji.202149234. Online ahead of print.
Homologous and heterologous serological response to the N-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 in humans and mice
Huibin Lv[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Owen Tak-Yin Tsang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ray T Y So[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Yiquan Wang[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Meng Yuan[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hejun Liu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Garrick K Yip[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qi Wen Teo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yihan Lin[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Weiwen Liang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jinlin Wang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wilson W Ng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ian A Wilson[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], J S Malik Peiris[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Nicholas C Wu[SUP] 4 7 8 [/SUP], Chris K P Mok[SUP] 1 9 10 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The increasing numbers of infected cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses serious threats to public health and the global economy. Most SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies target the receptor binding domain (RBD) and some the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike protein, which is the major antigen of SARS-CoV-2. While the antibody response to RBD has been extensively characterized, the antigenicity and immunogenicity of the NTD protein are less well studied. Using 227 plasma samples from COVID-19 patients, we showed that SARS-CoV-2 NTD-specific antibodies could be induced during infection. As compared to the results of SARS-CoV-2 RBD, the serological response of SARS-CoV-2 NTD is less cross-reactive with SARS-CoV, a pandemic strain which was identified in 2003. Furthermore, neutralizing antibodies are rarely elicited in a mice model when NTD is used as an immunogen. We subsequently demonstrate that NTD has an altered antigenicity when expressed alone. Overall, our results suggest that while NTD offers a supplementary strategy for serology testing, it may not be suitable as an immunogen for vaccine development. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; N-terminal domain; NTD; SARS-CoV-2; immunogen; serology.
. 2021 Jun 5.
doi: 10.1002/eji.202149234. Online ahead of print.
Homologous and heterologous serological response to the N-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 in humans and mice
Huibin Lv[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Owen Tak-Yin Tsang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ray T Y So[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Yiquan Wang[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Meng Yuan[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hejun Liu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Garrick K Yip[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qi Wen Teo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yihan Lin[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Weiwen Liang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jinlin Wang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wilson W Ng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ian A Wilson[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], J S Malik Peiris[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Nicholas C Wu[SUP] 4 7 8 [/SUP], Chris K P Mok[SUP] 1 9 10 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34089541
- DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149234
Abstract
The increasing numbers of infected cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses serious threats to public health and the global economy. Most SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies target the receptor binding domain (RBD) and some the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike protein, which is the major antigen of SARS-CoV-2. While the antibody response to RBD has been extensively characterized, the antigenicity and immunogenicity of the NTD protein are less well studied. Using 227 plasma samples from COVID-19 patients, we showed that SARS-CoV-2 NTD-specific antibodies could be induced during infection. As compared to the results of SARS-CoV-2 RBD, the serological response of SARS-CoV-2 NTD is less cross-reactive with SARS-CoV, a pandemic strain which was identified in 2003. Furthermore, neutralizing antibodies are rarely elicited in a mice model when NTD is used as an immunogen. We subsequently demonstrate that NTD has an altered antigenicity when expressed alone. Overall, our results suggest that while NTD offers a supplementary strategy for serology testing, it may not be suitable as an immunogen for vaccine development. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; N-terminal domain; NTD; SARS-CoV-2; immunogen; serology.