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Wong TY, Horspool AM, Russ BP, Ye C, Lee KS, Winters MT, Bevere JR, Miller OA, Rader NA, Cooper M, Kieffer T, Sourimant J, Greninger AL, Plemper RK, Denvir J, Cyphert HA, Barbier M, Torrelles JB, Martinez I, Martinez-Sobrido L, Damron FH. Evaluating Antibody Mediated Protection against Alpha, Beta, and Delta SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in K18-hACE2 Transgenic Mice. J Virol 2022; 96:e0218421. [PMID: 35080423 PMCID: PMC8941865 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02184-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoC) are impacting responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we utilized passive immunization using human convalescent plasma (HCP) obtained from a critically ill COVID-19 patient in the early pandemic to study the efficacy of polyclonal antibodies generated to ancestral SARS-CoV-2 against the Alpha, Beta, and Delta VoC in the K18 human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) transgenic mouse model. HCP protected mice from challenge with the original WA-1 SARS-CoV-2 strain; however, only partially protected mice challenged with the Alpha VoC (60% survival) and failed to save Beta challenged mice from succumbing to disease. HCP treatment groups had elevated receptor binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid IgG titers in the serum; however, Beta VoC viral RNA burden in the lung and brain was not decreased due to HCP treatment. While mice could be protected from WA-1 or Alpha challenge with a single dose of HCP, six doses of HCP could not decrease mortality of Delta challenged mice. Overall, these data demonstrate that VoC have enhanced immune evasion and this work underscores the need for in vivo models to evaluate future emerging strains. IMPORTANCE Emerging SARS-CoV-2 VoC are posing new problems regarding vaccine and monoclonal antibody efficacy. To better understand immune evasion tactics of the VoC, we utilized passive immunization to study the effect of early-pandemic SARS-CoV-2 HCP against, Alpha, Beta, and Delta VoC. We observed that HCP from a human infected with the original SARS-CoV-2 was unable to control lethality of Alpha, Beta, or Delta VoC in the K18-hACE2 transgenic mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings demonstrate that passive immunization can be used as a model to evaluate immune evasion of emerging VoC strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Y. Wong
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Alexander M. Horspool
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Brynnan P. Russ
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Population Health Programs, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Katherine S. Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Michael T. Winters
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Justin R. Bevere
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Olivia A. Miller
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Nathaniel A. Rader
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Melissa Cooper
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Theodore Kieffer
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Julien Sourimant
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alexander L. Greninger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Richard K. Plemper
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - James Denvir
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, USA
| | - Holly A. Cyphert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, USA
| | - Mariette Barbier
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Jordi B. Torrelles
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Population Health Programs, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Ivan Martinez
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Luis Martinez-Sobrido
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Population Health Programs, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - F. Heath Damron
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West, Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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Horspool AM, Ye C, Wong TY, Russ BP, Lee KS, Winters MT, Bevere JR, Kieffer T, Martinez I, Sourimant J, Greninger A, Plemper RK, Denvir J, Cyphert HA, Torrelles J, Martinez-Sobrido L, Damron FH. SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants of concern induce lethal disease in K18-hACE2 transgenic mice despite convalescent plasma therapy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.05.05.442784. [PMID: 33972945 PMCID: PMC8109207 DOI: 10.1101/2021.05.05.442784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoCs) are impacting responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we present a comparison of the SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 (WA-1) strain with B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 VoCs and identify significant differences in viral propagation in vitro and pathogenicity in vivo using K18-hACE2 transgenic mice. Passive immunization with plasma from an early pandemic SARS-CoV-2 patient resulted in significant differences in the outcome of VoC-infected mice. WA-1-infected mice were protected by plasma, B.1.1.7-infected mice were partially protected, and B.1.351-infected mice were not protected. Serological correlates of disease were different between VoC-infected mice, with B.1.351 triggering significantly altered cytokine profiles than other strains. In this study, we defined infectivity and immune responses triggered by VoCs and observed that early 2020 SARS-CoV-2 human immune plasma was insufficient to protect against challenge with B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 in the mouse model.
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Jangra S, Ye C, Rathnasinghe R, Stadlbauer D, Krammer F, Simon V, Martinez-Sobrido L, García-Sastre A, Schotsaert M. The E484K mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein reduces but does not abolish neutralizing activity of human convalescent and post-vaccination sera. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2021:2021.01.26.21250543. [PMID: 33532796 PMCID: PMC7852247 DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.26.21250543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One year in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the first vaccines are being rolled out under emergency use authorizations. It is of great concern that newly emerging variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can escape antibody-mediated protection induced by previous infection or vaccination through mutations in the spike protein. The glutamate (E) to Lysine (K) substitution at position 484 (E484K) in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein is present in the rapidly spreading variants of concern belonging to the B.1.351 and P.1 lineages. We performed in vitro microneutralization assays with both the USA-WA1/2020 virus and a recombinant (r)SARS-CoV-2 virus that is identical to USA-WA1/2020 except for the E484K mutation introduced in the spike RBD. We selected 34 sera from study participants based on their SARS-CoV-2 spike ELISA antibody titer (negative [N=4] versus weak [N=8], moderate [N=11] or strong positive [N=11]). In addition, we included sera from five individuals who received two doses of the Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine BNT162b2. Serum neutralization efficiency was lower against the E484K rSARS-CoV-2 (vaccination samples: 3.4 fold; convalescent low IgG: 2.4 fold, moderate IgG: 4.2 fold and high IgG: 2.6 fold) compared to USA-WA1/2020. For some of the convalescent donor sera with low or moderate IgG against the SARS-CoV-2 spike, the drop in neutralization efficiency resulted in neutralization ID50 values similar to negative control samples, with low or even absence of neutralization of the E484K rSARS-CoV-2. However, human sera with high neutralization titers against the USA-WA1/2020 strain were still able to neutralize the E484K rSARS-CoV-2. Therefore, it is important to aim for the highest titers possible induced by vaccination to enhance protection against newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Two vaccine doses may be needed for induction of high antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2. Postponing the second vaccination is suggested by some public health authorities in order to provide more individuals with a primer vaccination. Our data suggests that this may leave vaccinees less protected against newly emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Jangra
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX,
USA
| | - Raveen Rathnasinghe
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of
Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Stadlbauer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | - PVI study group
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | - Viviana Simon
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Schotsaert
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
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