T. A. Bates, J. B. Weinstein, Scotland Farley, H. Leier, W. Messer, F. Tafesse
Cell Reports, 2021
In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there remain unanswered questions regarding the nature and significance of the humoral immune response towards other coronavirus infections. Here, we investigate the cross-reactivity of antibodies raised against the first SARS-CoV for their reactivity towards SARS-CoV-2. We extensively characterize a selection of 10 antibodies covering all of the SARS-CoV structural proteins: spike, membrane, nucleocapsid, and envelope. While nearly all of the examined SARS-CoV antibodies displayed some level of reactivity to SARS-CoV-2, we found only partial cross-neutralization for the spike antibodies. The implications of our work are two-fold. Firstly, we have established a set of antibodies with known reactivity to both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which will allow further study of both viruses. Secondly, we provide empirical evidence of the high propensity for antibody cross-reactivity between distinct strains of human coronaviruses, critical information for designing diagnostic and vaccine strategies for COVID-19.
Cited by 5 publications.
Field of study: Medicine