tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Front Immunol
. 2021 Dec 7;12:789905.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.789905. eCollection 2021.
A Highly Conserved Peptide Vaccine Candidate Activates Both Humoral and Cellular Immunity Against SARS-CoV-2 Variant Strains
Fengxia Gao[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jingjing Huang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Tingting Li[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Chao Hu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Meiying Shen[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Song Mu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Feiyang Luo[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shuyi Song[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yanan Hao[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Wang Wang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Xiaojian Han[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Chen Qian[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yingming Wang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ruixin Wu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Luo Li[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shenglong Li[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Aishun Jin[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Facing the imminent need for vaccine candidates with cross-protection against globally circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutants, we present a conserved antigenic peptide RBD9.1 with both T-cell and B-cell epitopes. RBD9.1 can be recognized by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent serum, particularly for those with high neutralizing potency. Immunization with RBD9.1 can successfully induce the production of the receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific antibodies in Balb/c mice. Importantly, the immunized sera exhibit sustained neutralizing efficacy against multiple dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant strains, including B.1.617.2 that carries a point mutation (S[SUP]L452R[/SUP]) within the sequence of RBD9.1. Specifically, S[SUP]Y451[/SUP] and S[SUP]Y454[/SUP] are identified as the key amino acids for the binding of the induced RBD-specific antibodies to RBD9.1. Furthermore, we have confirmed that the RBD9.1 antigenic peptide can induce a S[SUP]448-456[/SUP] (NYNYLYRLF)-specific CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T-cell response. Both RBD9.1-specific B cells and the S[SUP]448-456[/SUP]-specific T cells can still be activated more than 3 months post the last immunization. This study provides a potential vaccine candidate that can generate long-term protective efficacy over SARS-CoV-2 variants, with the unique functional mechanism of activating both humoral and cellular immunity.
Keywords: RBD9.1; SARS-CoV-2 variants; cellular immune response; humoral immune response; immunological memory; vaccine.
. 2021 Dec 7;12:789905.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.789905. eCollection 2021.
A Highly Conserved Peptide Vaccine Candidate Activates Both Humoral and Cellular Immunity Against SARS-CoV-2 Variant Strains
Fengxia Gao[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jingjing Huang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Tingting Li[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Chao Hu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Meiying Shen[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Song Mu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Feiyang Luo[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shuyi Song[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yanan Hao[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Wang Wang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Xiaojian Han[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Chen Qian[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yingming Wang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ruixin Wu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Luo Li[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shenglong Li[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Aishun Jin[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34950151
- PMCID: PMC8688401
- DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.789905
Abstract
Facing the imminent need for vaccine candidates with cross-protection against globally circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutants, we present a conserved antigenic peptide RBD9.1 with both T-cell and B-cell epitopes. RBD9.1 can be recognized by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent serum, particularly for those with high neutralizing potency. Immunization with RBD9.1 can successfully induce the production of the receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific antibodies in Balb/c mice. Importantly, the immunized sera exhibit sustained neutralizing efficacy against multiple dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant strains, including B.1.617.2 that carries a point mutation (S[SUP]L452R[/SUP]) within the sequence of RBD9.1. Specifically, S[SUP]Y451[/SUP] and S[SUP]Y454[/SUP] are identified as the key amino acids for the binding of the induced RBD-specific antibodies to RBD9.1. Furthermore, we have confirmed that the RBD9.1 antigenic peptide can induce a S[SUP]448-456[/SUP] (NYNYLYRLF)-specific CD8[SUP]+[/SUP] T-cell response. Both RBD9.1-specific B cells and the S[SUP]448-456[/SUP]-specific T cells can still be activated more than 3 months post the last immunization. This study provides a potential vaccine candidate that can generate long-term protective efficacy over SARS-CoV-2 variants, with the unique functional mechanism of activating both humoral and cellular immunity.
Keywords: RBD9.1; SARS-CoV-2 variants; cellular immune response; humoral immune response; immunological memory; vaccine.