Immunological response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: from RNA to protein

• Grant number: 22/13850-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2023
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Keiji Tashima
• Grantee: Jackelinne Yuka Hayashi
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Since December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 - the agent of the global COVID-19 pandemic - has been responsible for more than 626 million cases and more than 6.5 million deaths. With the extension of the pandemic, we had the emergence of new variants with greater transmissibility, such as: Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351.), Gamma (P.1.), Delta (B.1.17.2 ) and Omicron (B.1.1.529). In addition, the new variants also present greater escape against the humoral response generated by vaccination, which demonstrates the importance of vaccine booster. In Brazil, different vaccines were offered to the population, which diversifies the monoclonal antibodies produced and makes them more promising for sequencing, with the objective of seeking neutralizing antibodies. Different approaches to antibody sequencing have already been used, making it possible to co-validate sequences by crossing transcriptomics and proteomics data. Thus, we propose in this project the evaluation of the immune response after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 through: sequencing of antibodies at protein and mRNA levels, through combined analysis of mass spectrometry and RNA sequencing by the long-read strategy; evaluation of antibody neutralization through enzyme immunoassays and viral neutralization tests; proteomic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells; and, finally, validation of detection and neutralization of recombinant antibodies assembled from the sequencing data. (AU)