Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the plasma of vaccinees: dynamics of humoral response, sequencing, expression and effectiveness of recombinants for therapy and diagnosis

• Grant number: 21/05975-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2022
• End date: May 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Keiji Tashima
• Grantee: Alexandre Keiji Tashima
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Ana Flavia Popi ; Carla Torres Braconi dos Santos ; Daniela Luz Hessel da Cunha ; Helena Bonciani Nader ; Isaias Glezer ; Juliana Terzi Maricato ; Luiz Mário Ramos Janini ; Marcelo Andrade de Lima ; Reinaldo Salomão ; Tatiana Carvalho de Souza Bonetti
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/10852-9 - Sequencing of a SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike S1 monoclonal antibody using mass spectrometry., BP.IC; 24/14779-4 - Elaboration of routines and preparation of RNA-Seq data for clustering and alignment analysis, BP.TT; 23/10925-3 - Analysis of antibody sequences by RNA-Seq and mass spectrometry., BP.TT; 23/07793-8 - Elaboration of routines and preparation of RNA-Seq data for clustering and alignment analysis, BP.TT

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, spread rapidly to all regions of the world, causing the global pandemic in March 2020. The preventive method against the viral infection currently adopted by several countries is vaccination. A large number of clinical studies are underway with the aim of finding effective drugs or procedures against the disease. One option is the immunotherapy with convalescent plasma. This approach was previously used against other serious infectious diseases such as SARS, MERS and Ebola, for example, having improved the survival rate of patients. Although potentially effective, therapy with convalescent plasma carries risks, such as possible immunological reactions against serum components and risk of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). Serum from convalescents and vaccinated individuals against COVID-19 contains neutralizing antibodies against the virus, but also non-specific antibodies and a range of other compounds. Isolating only neutralizing antibodies for the treatment of patients could make it significantly more effective, in addition to reducing the possibility of adverse reactions. In this project, we propose the isolation of B cells and specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 from plasma of vaccines and sequencing by methodologies based on transcriptomics and mass spectrometry. After determining the sequences of the variable regions of the light and heavy chains, we will express the complete antibody in HEK293T cells. Finally, we will evaluate the affinity and recognition sensitivity of antibodies against the viral proteins and the neutralization effectiveness against the active virus in Vero E6 cell cultures. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MIYAMOTO, JACKSON GABRIEL; KITANO, EDUARDO SHIGUEO; ZELANIS, ANDRE; NACHTIGALL, PEDRO GABRIEL; JUNQUEIRA-DE-AZEVEDO, INACIO; SANT'ANNA, SAVIO STEFANINI; SILVA, ROGERIO LAURIA DA; BERSANETTI, PATRICIA ALESSANDRA; CARMONA, ADRIANA KARAOGLANOVIC; PEREIRA, PEDRO JOSE BARBOSA; et al. A novel metalloproteinase-derived cryptide from Bothrops cotiara venom inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme activity. Biochimie, v. 216, p. 9-pg., 2023-11-21. (13/07467-1, 17/21052-0, 21/05975-6, 17/20106-9)

CHIARELLI, TASSIA; HAYASHI, JACKELINNE Y.; GALIZIO, NATHALIA DA COSTA; CASIMIRO, FERNANDA M. S.; TORQUATO, RICARDO; TANAKA, APARECIDA S.; MORAIS-ZANI, KAREN DE; TANAKA-AZEVEDO, ANITA M.; TASHIMA, ALEXANDRE K.. Enhancing the Bothropic Antivenom through a Reverse Antivenomics Approach. JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH, v. 24, n. 2, p. 10-pg., 2025-01-22. (24/02642-4, 22/13850-1, 17/21052-0, 13/07914-8, 21/05975-6, 21/07627-5, 23/00670-8, 17/20106-9, 20/07268-2)