Temporal maturation of neutralizing antibodies in COVID-19 convalescent individuals improves potency and breadth to circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Abstract

Antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 slowly wane over time. Here, we examined how time affects antibody potency. To assess the impact of antibody maturation on durable neutralizing activity against original SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants of concern (VOCs), we analyzed receptor binding domain (RBD)-specific IgG antibodies in convalescent plasma taken 1-10 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Longitudinal evaluation of total RBD IgG and neutralizing antibody revealed declining total antibody titers but improved neutralization potency per antibody to original SARS-CoV-2, indicative of antibody response maturation. Neutralization assays with authentic viruses revealed that early antibodies capable of neutralizing original SARS-CoV-2 had limited reactivity toward B.1.351 (501Y.V2) and P.1 (501Y.V3) variants. Antibodies from late convalescents exhibited increased neutralization potency to VOCs, suggesting persistence of cross-neutralizing antibodies in plasma. Thus, maturation of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 potentiates cross-neutralizing ability to circulating variants, suggesting that declining antibody titers may not be indicative of declining protection.

• Authors: Saya Moriyama, Yu Adachi, Takashi Sato, Keisuke Tonouchi, Lin Sun, Shuetsu Fukushi, Souichi Yamada, Hitomi Kinoshita, Kiyoko Nojima, Takayuki Kanno, Minoru Tobiume, Keita Ishijima, Yudai Kuroda, Eun-Sil Park, Taishi Onodera, Takayuki Matsumura, Tomohiro Takano, Kazutaka Terahara, Masanori Isogawa, Ayae Nishiyama, Ai Kawana-Tachikawa, Masaharu Shinkai, Natsuo Tachikawa, Shigeki Nakamura, Takahiro Okai, Kazu Okuma, Tetsuro Matano, Tsuguto Fujimoto, Ken Maeda, Makoto Ohnishi, Takaji Wakita, Tadaki Suzuki, Yoshimasa Takahashi
• Journal: Immunity (Immunity) Vol. 54 Issue 8 Pg. 1841-1852.e4 (08 10 2021) ISSN: 1097-4180 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34246326 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Neutralizing
• Antibodies, Viral
• Immunoglobulin G

Topics

• Antibodies, Monoclonal (immunology)
• Antibodies, Neutralizing (immunology)
• Antibodies, Viral (immunology)
• Antibody Specificity
• COVID-19 (epidemiology, immunology, virology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G
• Neutralization Tests
• SARS-CoV-2 (genetics, immunology)
• Viral Load