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Clever S, Schünemann LM, Armando F, Meyer zu Natrup C, Tuchel T, Tscherne A, Ciurkiewicz M, Baumgärtner W, Sutter G, Volz A. Protective MVA-ST Vaccination Robustly Activates T Cells and Antibodies in an Aged-Hamster Model for COVID-19. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:52. [PMID: 38250865 PMCID: PMC10819389 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with a decline in immune system functionality. So-called immunosenescence may impair the successful vaccination of elderly people. Thus, improved vaccination strategies also suitable for an aged immune system are required. Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is a highly attenuated and replication-deficient vaccinia virus that has been established as a multipurpose viral vector for vaccine development against various infections. We characterized a recombinant MVA expressing a prefusion-stabilized version of SARS-CoV-2 S protein (MVA-ST) in an aged-hamster model for COVID-19. Intramuscular MVA-ST immunization resulted in protection from disease and severe lung pathology. Importantly, this protection was correlated with a potent activation of SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells and neutralizing antibodies. Our results suggest that MVA vector vaccines merit further evaluation in preclinical models to contribute to future clinical development as candidate vaccines in elderly people to overcome the limitations of age-dependent immunosenescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Clever
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (S.C.); (L.-M.S.); (C.M.z.N.)
| | - Lisa-Marie Schünemann
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (S.C.); (L.-M.S.); (C.M.z.N.)
| | - Federico Armando
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany (W.B.)
- Pathology Unit, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Christian Meyer zu Natrup
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (S.C.); (L.-M.S.); (C.M.z.N.)
| | - Tamara Tuchel
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (S.C.); (L.-M.S.); (C.M.z.N.)
| | - Alina Tscherne
- Division of Virology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany; (A.T.); (G.S.)
| | - Malgorzata Ciurkiewicz
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany (W.B.)
| | - Wolfgang Baumgärtner
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany (W.B.)
| | - Gerd Sutter
- Division of Virology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany; (A.T.); (G.S.)
| | - Asisa Volz
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (S.C.); (L.-M.S.); (C.M.z.N.)
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2
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Pflumm D, Seidel A, Klein F, Groß R, Krutzke L, Kochanek S, Kroschel J, Münch J, Stifter K, Schirmbeck R. Heterologous DNA-prime/protein-boost immunization with a monomeric SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen redundantizes the trimeric receptor-binding domain structure to induce neutralizing antibodies in old mice. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1231274. [PMID: 37753087 PMCID: PMC10518615 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1231274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A multitude of alterations in the old immune system impair its functional integrity. Closely related, older individuals show, for example, a reduced responsiveness to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines. However, systematic strategies to specifically improve the efficacy of vaccines in the old are missing or limited to simple approaches like increasing the antigen concentration or injection frequencies. We here asked whether the intrinsic, trimeric structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) antigen and/or a DNA- or protein-based antigen delivery platform affects priming of functional antibody responses particularly in old mice. The used S-antigens were primarily defined by the presence/absence of the membrane-anchoring TM domain and the closely interlinked formation/non-formation of a trimeric structure of the receptor binding domain (S-RBD). Among others, we generated vectors expressing prefusion-stabilized, cell-associated (TM+) trimeric "S2-P" or secreted (TM-) monomeric "S6-PΔTM" antigens. These proteins were produced from vector-transfected HEK-293T cells under mild conditions by Strep-tag purification, revealing that cell-associated but not secreted S proteins tightly bound Hsp73 and Grp78 chaperones. We showed that both, TM-deficient S6-PΔTM and full-length S2-P antigens elicited very similar S-RBD-specific antibody titers and pseudovirus neutralization activities in young (2-3 months) mice through homologous DNA-prime/DNA-boost or protein-prime/protein-boost vaccination. The trimeric S2-P antigen induced high S-RBD-specific antibody responses in old (23-24 months) mice through DNA-prime/DNA-boost vaccination. Unexpectedly, the monomeric S6-PΔTM antigen induced very low S-RBD-specific antibody titers in old mice through homologous DNA-prime/DNA-boost or protein-prime/protein-boost vaccination. However, old mice efficiently elicited an S-RBD-specific antibody response after heterologous DNA-prime/protein-boost immunization with the S6-PΔTM antigen, and antibody titers even reached similar levels and neutralizing activities as in young mice and also cross-reacted with different S-variants of concern. The old immune system thus distinguished between trimeric and monomeric S protein conformations: it remained antigen responsive to the trimeric S2-P antigen, and a simple change in the vaccine delivery regimen was sufficient to unleash its reactivity to the monomeric S6-PΔTM antigen. This clearly shows that both the antigen structure and the delivery platform are crucial to efficiently prime humoral immune responses in old mice and might be relevant for designing "age-adapted" vaccine strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Pflumm
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Alina Seidel
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Fabrice Klein
- Department of Gene Therapy, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Groß
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lea Krutzke
- Department of Gene Therapy, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan Kochanek
- Department of Gene Therapy, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Joris Kroschel
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Münch
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Katja Stifter
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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3
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Vanetti C, Lampasona V, Stracuzzi M, Fenizia C, Biasin M, Saulle I, Limanaqi F, Abdelsalam A, Loretelli C, Paradiso L, Longoni E, Barcellini L, Piemonti L, Marzinotto I, Dispinseri S, Amendola A, Fappani C, Tanzi E, Clerici MS, Scarlatti G, Zuccotti GV, Giacomet V, Trabattoni D. The Immunological Profile of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children Is Linked to Clinical Severity and Age. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076779. [PMID: 37047752 PMCID: PMC10095251 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is clinically less severe in children, even if the wide variety and degree of severity of symptoms reported in children pose a still-unresolved challenge for clinicians. We performed an in-depth analysis of the immunological profiles of 18 hospitalized SARS-CoV-2-infected children, whose results were compared to those obtained from 13 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). The patients were categorized as paucisymptomatic/moderate (55.6%) or severe/critical (44.5%) according to established diagnostic criteria and further stratified into the categories of infants (1–12 months), children (1–12 years), and adolescents (>12 years). We assessed SARS-CoV-2-specific RBD antibodies (Ab), neutralizing antibodies (nAb), and circulating cytokines/chemokines in the plasma, and the SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response was measured in PBMCs by gene expression and secretome analyses. Our results showed peculiar circulating cytokine/chemokine profiles among patients sharing a similar clinical phenotype. A cluster of patients consisting of infants with severe symptoms presented hyperinflammatory profiles, together with extremely polarized antibody profiles. In a second cluster consisting of paucisymptomatic patients, a less pronounced increase in the level of inflammatory cytokines, together with an association between the selected cytokines and humoral responses, was observed. A third cluster, again consisting of paucisymptomatic patients, showed a circulating cytokine/chemokine profile which overlapped with that of the HC. The SARS-CoV-2-stimulated production of pro-inflammatory proteins, T lymphocyte activation, and migration-specific proteins, were significantly increased in SARS-CoV-2-infected children compared to the HC. Our findings suggest that immune response activation in the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is directly correlated with clinical severity and, to a lesser extent, age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Vanetti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Vito Lampasona
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Stracuzzi
- Paediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Fenizia
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Biasin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Irma Saulle
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Fiona Limanaqi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Ahmed Abdelsalam
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
- International Center for T1D, Paediatric Clinical Research Center Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristian Loretelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
- International Center for T1D, Paediatric Clinical Research Center Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Paradiso
- Department of Paediatrics, Ospedale dei Bambini V. Buzzi, 20154 Milan, Italy
| | - Emma Longoni
- Department of Paediatrics, Ospedale dei Bambini V. Buzzi, 20154 Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Barcellini
- Department of Paediatrics, Ospedale dei Bambini V. Buzzi, 20154 Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Piemonti
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Marzinotto
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Dispinseri
- Viral Evolution and Transmission Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Amendola
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Fappani
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Tanzi
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salvatore Clerici
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, 20148 Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriella Scarlatti
- Viral Evolution and Transmission Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Vania Giacomet
- Paediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Daria Trabattoni
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
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4
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Bode L, Bertrand K, Najera JA, Furst A, Honerkamp-Smith G, Shandling AD, Chambers CD, Camerini D, Campo JJ. Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in human milk from 21 women with confirmed COVID-19 infection. Pediatr Res 2022; 93:1626-1633. [PMID: 36434204 PMCID: PMC9702863 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02360-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One potential mechanism for protection from SARS-CoV-2 in children is through passive immunity via breast milk from a mother infected with the novel coronavirus. The primary objectives of this study were to establish the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA and IgG and to characterize the antigenic regions of SARS-CoV-2 proteins that were reactive with antibodies in breast milk. METHODS Between March 2020 and September 2020, 21 women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled in Mommy's Milk. Participants donated serial breast milk samples around their time of illness. Breast milk samples were used to probe a multi-coronavirus protein microarray containing full-length and variable-length overlapping fragments of SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Samples were also tested against S and N proteins by electrochemiluminescence assay. RESULTS The breast milk samples contained IgA reactive with a variety of SARS-CoV-2 antigens. The most IgA-reactive SARS-CoV-2 proteins were N (42.9% of women responded to ≥1 N fragment) and S proteins (23.9% responded to ≥1 fragment of S1 or S2). IgG responses were similar. A striking observation was the dissimilarity between mothers in antibody recognition, giving distinct antibody reactivity and kinetic profiles. CONCLUSIONS Individual COVID-19 cases had diverse and unique milk IgA profiles following the onset of symptoms. IMPACT In this observational longitudinal case series of 21 women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, IgA binding to SARS-CoV-2 proteins detected by orthologous proteome microarray and electrochemiluminescence assays was observed in >75% of women, but there was heterogeneity in which antigens and how many were reactive between women. Immunological profiles of protein regions recognized by each woman were distinct. Diverse repertoires of mucosal breast milk antibody to SARS-CoV-2 reflect heterogeneous passive transfer of maternal antibody to exposed breastfeeding infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Bode
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA. .,Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Kerri Bertrand
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Departments of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Julia A. Najera
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Departments of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Annalee Furst
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Departments of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Gordon Honerkamp-Smith
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Departments of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | | | - Christina D. Chambers
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Departments of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - David Camerini
- grid.420905.aAntigen Discovery Inc. (ADI), Irvine, CA 92618 USA ,grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Center for Virus Research, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Joseph J. Campo
- grid.420905.aAntigen Discovery Inc. (ADI), Irvine, CA 92618 USA
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5
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Yaugel-Novoa M, Bourlet T, Paul S. Role of the humoral immune response during COVID-19: guilty or not guilty? Mucosal Immunol 2022; 15:1170-1180. [PMID: 36195658 PMCID: PMC9530436 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-022-00569-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Systemic and mucosal humoral immune responses are crucial to fight respiratory viral infections in the current pandemic of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. During SARS-CoV-2 infection, the dynamics of systemic and mucosal antibody infections are affected by patient characteristics, such as age, sex, disease severity, or prior immunity to other human coronaviruses. Patients suffering from severe disease develop higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in serum and mucosal tissues than those with mild disease, and these antibodies are detectable for up to a year after symptom onset. In hospitalized patients, the aberrant glycosylation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies enhances inflammation-associated antibody Fc-dependent effector functions, thereby contributing to COVID-19 pathophysiology. Current vaccines elicit robust humoral immune responses, principally in the blood. However, they are less effective against new viral variants, such as Delta and Omicron. This review provides an overview of current knowledge about the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2, with a particular focus on the protective and pathological role of humoral immunity in COVID-19 severity. We also discuss the humoral immune response elicited by COVID-19 vaccination and protection against emerging viral variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melyssa Yaugel-Novoa
- CIRI—Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team GIMAP (Saint-Etienne), Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS Lyon, UJM, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Thomas Bourlet
- CIRI—Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team GIMAP (Saint-Etienne), Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS Lyon, UJM, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Paul
- CIRI—Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team GIMAP (Saint-Etienne), Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS Lyon, UJM, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France,CIC Inserm 1408 Vaccinology, Saint-Etienne, France
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6
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Anderson EM, Li SH, Awofolaju M, Eilola T, Goodwin E, Bolton MJ, Gouma S, Manzoni TB, Hicks P, Goel RR, Painter MM, Apostolidis SA, Mathew D, Dunbar D, Fiore D, Brock A, Weaver J, Millar JS, DerOhannessian S, Greenplate AR, Frank I, Rader DJ, Wherry EJ, Bates P, Hensley SE. SARS-CoV-2 infections elicit higher levels of original antigenic sin antibodies compared with SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111496. [PMID: 36261003 PMCID: PMC9578169 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
It is important to determine if severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations elicit different types of antibodies. Here, we characterize the magnitude and specificity of SARS-CoV-2 spike-reactive antibodies from 10 acutely infected health care workers with no prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure history and 23 participants who received SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. We found that infection and primary mRNA vaccination elicit S1- and S2-reactive antibodies, while secondary vaccination boosts mostly S1 antibodies. Using absorption assays, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infections elicit a large proportion of original antigenic sin-like antibodies that bind efficiently to the spike of common seasonal human coronaviruses but poorly to the spike of SARS-CoV-2. In converse, vaccination modestly boosts antibodies reactive to the spike of common seasonal human coronaviruses, and these antibodies cross-react more efficiently to the spike of SARS-CoV-2. Our data indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infections and mRNA vaccinations elicit fundamentally different antibody responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Anderson
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shuk Hang Li
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Moses Awofolaju
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Theresa Eilola
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Eileen Goodwin
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marcus J Bolton
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sigrid Gouma
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tomaz B Manzoni
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Philip Hicks
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rishi R Goel
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mark M Painter
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sokratis A Apostolidis
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Division of Rheumatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Divij Mathew
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Debora Dunbar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Danielle Fiore
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Amanda Brock
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - JoEllen Weaver
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John S Millar
- Department of Genetics and Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Stephanie DerOhannessian
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Genetics and Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Allison R Greenplate
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian Frank
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daniel J Rader
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Genetics and Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - E John Wherry
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA 19104, USA
| | - Paul Bates
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Scott E Hensley
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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7
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Poniedziałek B, Hallmann E, Sikora D, Szymański K, Kondratiuk K, Żurawski J, Rzymski P, Brydak L. Relationship between Humoral Response in COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza Vaccination. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1621. [PMID: 36298486 PMCID: PMC9610939 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10101621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that vaccination against seasonal influenza can improve innate immune responses to COVID-19 and decrease disease severity. However, less is known about whether it could also impact the humoral immunity in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. The present study aimed to compare the SARS-CoV-2 specific humoral responses (IgG antibodies against nucleocapsid; anti-N, receptor binding domain; anti-RBD, subunit S2; anti-S2, and envelope protein; anti-E) between non-hospitalized, COVID-19 unvaccinated, and mild COVID-19 convalescent patients who were and were not vaccinated against influenza during the 2019/2020 epidemic season (n = 489 and n = 292, respectively). The influenza-vaccinated group had significantly higher frequency and titers of anti-N antibodies (75 vs. 66%; mean 559 vs. 520 U/mL) and anti-RBD antibodies (85 vs. 76%; mean 580 vs. 540 U/mL). The prevalence and concentrations of anti-S2 and anti-E antibodies did not differ between groups (40-43%; mean 370-375 U/mL and 1.4-1.7%; mean 261-294 U/mL) and were significantly lower compared to those of anti-RBD and anti-N. In both groups, age, comorbidities, and gender did not affect the prevalence and concentrations of studied antibodies. The results indicate that influenza vaccination can improve serum antibody levels produced in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Poniedziałek
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
| | - Ewelina Hallmann
- Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center at the National Institute of Public Health NIH—National Research Institute in Warsaw, Chocimska St. 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dominika Sikora
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
- Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Fredry St. 10, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Karol Szymański
- Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center at the National Institute of Public Health NIH—National Research Institute in Warsaw, Chocimska St. 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kondratiuk
- Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center at the National Institute of Public Health NIH—National Research Institute in Warsaw, Chocimska St. 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jakub Żurawski
- Department of Immunobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
- Integrated Science Association (ISA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), 60-806 Poznan, Poland
| | - Lidia Brydak
- Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center at the National Institute of Public Health NIH—National Research Institute in Warsaw, Chocimska St. 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Stoddard CI, Sung K, Ojee E, Adhiambo J, Begnel ER, Slyker J, Gantt S, Matsen FA, Kinuthia J, Wamalwa D, Overbaugh J, Lehman DA. Distinct Antibody Responses to Endemic Coronaviruses Pre- and Post-SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Kenyan Infants and Mothers. Viruses 2022; 14:1517. [PMID: 35891497 PMCID: PMC9323260 DOI: 10.3390/v14071517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Pre-existing antibodies that bind endemic human coronaviruses (eHCoVs) can cross-react with SARS-CoV-2, which is the betacoronavirus that causes COVID-19, but whether these responses influence SARS-CoV-2 infection is still under investigation and is particularly understudied in infants. In this study, we measured eHCoV and SARS-CoV-1 IgG antibody titers before and after SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in a cohort of Kenyan women and their infants. Pre-existing eHCoV antibody binding titers were not consistently associated with SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in infants or mothers; however, we observed a very modest association between pre-existing HCoV-229E antibody levels and a lack of SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in the infants. After seroconversion to SARS-CoV-2, antibody binding titers to the endemic betacoronaviruses HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1, and the highly pathogenic betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-1, but not the endemic alphacoronaviruses HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63, increased in the mothers. However, eHCoV antibody levels did not increase following SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in the infants, suggesting the increase seen in the mothers was not simply due to cross-reactivity to naively generated SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. In contrast, the levels of antibodies that could bind SARS-CoV-1 increased after SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in both the mothers and infants, both of whom were unlikely to have had a prior SARS-CoV-1 infection, supporting prior findings that SARS-CoV-2 responses cross-react with SARS-CoV-1. In summary, we found evidence of increased eHCoV antibody levels following SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in the mothers but not the infants, suggesting eHCoV responses can be boosted by SARS-CoV-2 infection when a prior memory response has been established, and that pre-existing cross-reactive antibodies are not strongly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in mothers or infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin I. Stoddard
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA;
| | - Kevin Sung
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; (K.S.); (F.A.M.IV)
| | - Ednah Ojee
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (E.O.); (J.A.); (D.W.)
| | - Judith Adhiambo
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (E.O.); (J.A.); (D.W.)
| | - Emily R. Begnel
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (E.R.B.); (J.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Jennifer Slyker
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (E.R.B.); (J.S.); (J.K.)
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Soren Gantt
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada;
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Frederick A. Matsen
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; (K.S.); (F.A.M.IV)
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - John Kinuthia
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (E.R.B.); (J.S.); (J.K.)
- Department of Research and Programs, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi 00202, Kenya
| | - Dalton Wamalwa
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (E.O.); (J.A.); (D.W.)
| | - Julie Overbaugh
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA;
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; (K.S.); (F.A.M.IV)
| | - Dara A. Lehman
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA;
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (E.R.B.); (J.S.); (J.K.)
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9
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Zhai B, Clarke K, Bauer DL, Moehling Geffel KK, Kupul S, Schratz LJ, Nowalk MP, McElroy AK, McLachlan JB, Zimmerman RK, Alcorn JF. SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response Is Associated with Age and Body Mass Index in Convalescent Outpatients. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:1711-1718. [PMID: 35321882 PMCID: PMC8976825 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2101156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 has had an unprecedented global impact on human health. Understanding the Ab memory responses to infection is one tool needed to effectively control the pandemic. Among 173 outpatients who had virologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, we evaluated serum Ab concentrations, microneutralization activity, and enumerated SARS-CoV-2-specific B cells in convalescent human blood specimens. Serum Ab concentrations were variable, allowing for stratification of the cohort into high and low responders. Neither participant sex, the timing of blood sampling following the onset of illness, nor the number of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific B cells correlated with serum Ab concentration. Serum Ab concentration was positively associated with microneutralization activity and participant age, with participants under the age of 30 showing the lowest Ab level. These data suggest that young adult outpatients did not generate as robust Ab memory, compared with older adults. Body mass index was also positively correlated with serum Ab levels. Multivariate analyses showed that participant age and body mass index were independently associated with Ab levels. These findings have direct implications for public health policy and current vaccine efforts. Knowledge gained regarding Ab memory following infection will inform the need for vaccination in those previously infected and allow for a better approximation of population-wide protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhai
- Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Karen Clarke
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - David L Bauer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA; and
| | | | - Saran Kupul
- Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Lucas J Schratz
- Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - M Patricia Nowalk
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Anita K McElroy
- Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - James B McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA; and
| | - Richard K Zimmerman
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - John F Alcorn
- Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA;
- Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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10
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Role of senescence in the chronic health consequences of COVID-19. Transl Res 2022; 241:96-108. [PMID: 34695606 PMCID: PMC8532377 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
While the full impact of COVID-19 is not yet clear, early studies have indicated that upwards of 10% of patients experience COVID-19 symptoms longer than 3 weeks, known as Long-Hauler's Syndrome or PACS (postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection). There is little known about risk factors or predictors of susceptibility for Long-Hauler's Syndrome, but older adults are at greater risk for severe outcomes and mortality from COVID-19. The pillars of aging (including cellular senescence, telomere dysfunction, impaired proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, deregulated nutrient sensing, genomic instability, progenitor cell exhaustion, altered intercellular communication, and epigenetic alterations) that contribute to age-related dysfunction and chronic diseases (the "Geroscience Hypothesis") may interfere with defenses against viral infection and consequences of these infections. Heightening of the low-grade inflammation that is associated with aging may generate an exaggerated response to an acute COVID-19 infection. Innate immune system dysfunction that leads to decreased senescent cell removal and/or increased senescent cell formation could contribute to accumulation of senescent cells with both aging and viral infections. These processes may contribute to increased risk for long-term COVID-19 sequelae in older or chronically ill patients. Hence, senolytics and other geroscience interventions that may prolong healthspan and alleviate chronic diseases and multimorbidity linked to fundamental aging processes might be an option for delaying, preventing, or alleviating Long-Hauler's Syndrome.
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Key Words
- ampk, amp-activated protein kinase
- covid-19, coronavirus disease 2019
- covid-fis, a phase 2 placebo-controlled pilot study in covid-19 of fisetin to alleviate dysfunction and excessive inflammatory response in older adults in nursing homes
- cr, caloric restriction
- fga, facility for geroscience analysis
- icu, intensive care unit
- if, intermittent fasting
- ltcf, long-term care facility
- mcc, multiple chronic conditions
- mers-cov, middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- mtor, mammalian target of rapamycin
- nad+, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
- nmn, nicotinamide mononucleotide
- nr, nicotinamide riboside
- pacs, postacute sequalae of sars-cov-2 infection
- pamps, pathogen-associated molecular profile factors
- ros, reactive oxygen species
- sars, severe acute respiratory syndrome
- sars-cov-1, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1
- sars-cov-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
- sasp, senescence-associated secretory phenotype
- snf, skilled nursing facility
- tgn, translational geroscience network
- who, world health organization
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11
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Immunology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. Nat Immunol 2022; 23:177-185. [PMID: 35105983 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-021-01123-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Children and adolescents exhibit a broad range of clinical outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection, with the majority having minimal to mild symptoms. Additionally, some succumb to a severe hyperinflammatory post-infectious complication called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), predominantly affecting previously healthy individuals. Studies characterizing the immunological differences associated with these clinical outcomes have identified pathways important for host immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and innate modulators of disease severity. In this Review, we delineate the immunological mechanisms underlying the spectrum of pediatric immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in comparison with that of adults.
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12
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Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in a healthcare setting during the first pandemic wave in Senegal. IJID REGIONS 2021; 2:96-98. [PMID: 35721431 PMCID: PMC8702669 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin G (IgG) during the first pandemic wave in Senegal. The seroprevalence rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgG was assessed in 10 cities in Senegal by testing plasma from volunteers attending healthcare clinics for reasons unrelated to coronavirus disease 2019 (n=3231) between June and October 2020. The overall positivity rate was 20.4% and large geographical differences in seropositivity (6-41.9%) were observed, suggesting that the true number of infections was substantially higher than the official estimate of 8.5%.
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13
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Microarray-Based Detection of Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Proteins, Common Respiratory Viruses and Type I Interferons. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122553. [PMID: 34960822 PMCID: PMC8705234 DOI: 10.3390/v13122553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A microarray-based assay to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against betacoronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2, SARS, MERS, OC43, and HKU1), other respiratory viruses and type I interferons (IFN-Is) was developed. This multiplex assay was applied to track antibody cross-reactivity due to previous contact with similar viruses and to identify antibodies against IFN-Is as the markers for severe COVID-19. In total, 278 serum samples from convalescent plasma donors, COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and patients who recovered from mild/moderate COVID-19, vaccine recipients, prepandemic and pandemic patients with autoimmune endocrine disorders, and a heterogeneous prepandemic cohort including healthy individuals and chronically ill patients were analyzed. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 microarray results agreed well with the ELISA results. Regarding ICU patients, autoantibodies against IFN-Is were detected in 10.5% of samples, and 10.5% of samples were found to simultaneously contain IgM antibodies against more than two different viruses. Cross-reactivity between IgG against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and IgG against the OC43 and HKU1 spike proteins was observed, resulting in positive signals for the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid in prepandemic samples from patients with autoimmune endocrine disorders. The presence of IgG against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid in the absence of IgG against the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD should be interpreted with caution.
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14
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Sasson JM, Campo JJ, Carpenter RM, Young MK, Randall AZ, Trappl-Kimmons K, Oberai A, Hung C, Edgar J, Teng AA, Pablo JV, Liang X, Yee A, Petri WA, Camerini D. Diverse Humoral Immune Responses in Younger and Older Adult COVID-19 Patients. mBio 2021; 12:e0122921. [PMID: 34182775 PMCID: PMC8262923 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01229-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We sought to discover links between antibody responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and patient clinical variables, cytokine profiles, and antibodies to endemic coronaviruses. Serum samples from 30 patients of younger (26 to 39 years) and older (69 to 83 years) age groups and with varying clinical severities ranging from outpatient to mechanically ventilated were collected and used to probe a novel multi-coronavirus protein microarray. This microarray contained variable-length overlapping fragments of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleocapsid (N), and open reading frame (ORF) proteins created through in vitro transcription and translation (IVTT). The array also contained SARS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), and HCoV-NL63 proteins. IgG antibody responses to specific epitopes within the S1 protein region spanning amino acids (aa) 500 to 650 and within the N protein region spanning aa 201 to 300 were found to be significantly higher in older patients and further significantly elevated in those older patients who were ventilated. Additionally, there was a noticeable overlap between antigenic regions and known mutation locations in selected emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of current clinical consequence (B.1.1.7, B1.351, P.1, CAL20.C, and B.1.526). Moreover, the older age group displayed more consistent correlations of antibody reactivity with systemic cytokine and chemokine responses than the younger adult group. A subset of patients, however, had little or no response to SARS-CoV-2 antigens and disproportionately severe clinical outcomes. Further characterization of these slow-low-responding individuals with cytokine analysis revealed significantly higher interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-15, and interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10) levels and lower epidermal growth factor (EGF) and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) levels than those of seroreactive patients in the cohort. IMPORTANCE As numerous viral variants continue to emerge in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, determining antibody reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 epitopes becomes essential in discerning changes in the immune response to infection over time. This study enabled us to identify specific areas of antigenicity within the SARS-CoV-2 proteome, allowing us to detect correlations of epitopes with clinical metadata and immunological signals to gain holistic insight into SARS-CoV-2 infection. This work also emphasized the risk of mutation accumulation in viral variants and the potential for evasion of the adaptive immune responses in the event of reinfection. We additionally highlighted the correlation of antigenicity between structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and endemic HCoVs, raising the possibility of cross-protection between homologous lineages. Finally, we identified a subset of patients with minimal antibody reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 infection, prompting discussion of the potential consequences of this alternative immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Sasson
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Rebecca M. Carpenter
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mary K. Young
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | | | | | - Amit Oberai
- Antigen Discovery, Incorporated, Irvine, California, USA
| | | | - Joshua Edgar
- Antigen Discovery, Incorporated, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Andy A. Teng
- Antigen Discovery, Incorporated, Irvine, California, USA
| | | | - Xiaowu Liang
- Antigen Discovery, Incorporated, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Angela Yee
- Antigen Discovery, Incorporated, Irvine, California, USA
| | - William A. Petri
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - David Camerini
- Antigen Discovery, Incorporated, Irvine, California, USA
- Center for Virus Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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