Sequencing of a SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike S1 monoclonal antibody using mass spectrometry.

• Grant number: 24/10852-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Keiji Tashima
• Grantee: Isabel Sakanoue Leite
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/05975-6 - Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the plasma of vaccinees: dynamics of humoral response, sequencing, expression and effectiveness of recombinants for therapy and diagnosis, AP.R

Abstract

In 2020, the world faced the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), which was responsible for millions of deaths and patients with sequelae from COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). Since then, science has worked intensively to discover preventive solutions against the disease. A few months after the pandemic was declared, the first vaccine against the disease was presented, contributing to mass immunization in countries. Four years later, vaccination remains the main preventive method against the disease, and although it no longer qualifies as a public health emergency, new strains of the virus and waves of infection continue to emerge. Moreover, for the treatment of patients affected by COVID-19, immunotherapy with convalescent plasma began to be used. This type of treatment showed effectivity in the rapid combat of the disease, however, the use of convalescent serum can cause adverse reactions in patients due to other substances present in the serum. In this regard, isolating specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is a promising alternative in the fight against the disease, especially for immunocompromised patients, in addition to reducing the risk of unwanted immunological reactions. Monoclonal antibodies can be used for this therapeutic purpose or in research. For these reasons, the commercial SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike S1 monoclonal antibody will be used in this project as a proof of concept for a sequencing methodology. It is expected that the identified sequences can be expressed and validated, proving the effectiveness of characterizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 by mass spectrometry and establishing the methodology as a platform for rapid antibody sequencing.