Neutralizing antibody response after immunization with a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine: Insights to the future

Author(s):Show less -

Souza, Milena Silva ; Farias, Jessica Pires ; Andreata-Santos, Robert ; Silva, Marianne Pereira ; Brito, Ruth Dalety da Silva ; Duarte Barbosa da Silva, Marcia ; Peter, Cristina Mendes ; Cirilo, Marcus Vinicius de Franca ; Luiz, Wilson Barros ; Birbrair, Alexander ; Vidal, Paloma Oliveira ; de Castro-Amarante, Maria Fernanda ; Candido, Erika Donizetti ; Munhoz, Aldilene Silva ; de Mello Malta, Fernanda ; Dorlass, Erik Gustavo ; Machado, Rafael Rahal Guaragna ; Pinho, Joao Renato Rebello ; Oliveira, Danielle Bruna Leal ; Durigon, Edison Luiz ; Maricato, Juliana Terzi ; Braconi, Carla Torres ; Ferreira, Luis Carlos de Souza ; Janini, Luiz Mario Ramos ; Amorim, Jaime Henrique

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of Medical Virology; v. 96, n. 2, p. 9-pg., 2024-02-01.

Abstract

The raising of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants led to the use of COVID-19 bivalent vaccines, which include antigens of the wild-type (WT) virus, and of the Omicron strain. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of bivalent vaccination on the neutralizing antibody (NAb) response. We enrolled 93 volunteers who had received three or four doses of monovalent vaccines based on the original virus (n = 61), or a booster shot with the bivalent vaccine (n = 32). Serum samples collected from volunteers were subjected to neutralization assays using the WT SARS-CoV-2, and Omicron subvariants. In addition, immunoinformatics to quantify and localize highly conserved NAb epitopes were performed. As main result, we observed that the neutralization titers of samples from individuals vaccinated with the bivalent vaccine were higher for the original virus, in comparison to their capacity of neutralizing the Omicron variant and its subvariants. NAb that recognize epitopes mostly conserved in the WT SARS-CoV-2 were boosted, while those that recognize epitopes mostly present in the Omicron variant, and subvariants were primed. These results indicate that formulation of future vaccines shall consider to target present viruses, and not viruses that no longer circulate. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/06409-1 - Evaluation of humoral immune response and inflammatory response in patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 at Hospital Sírio Libanês and correlation with disease severity
• Grantee: Edison Luiz Durigon
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 23/01925-0 - Vaccination against COVID-19: where do we come from, where are we and where are we going?
• Grantee: Jessica Pires Farias
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 20/08943-5 - Investigation of the hosts' induced elements in response to the immunisation with ChAdOx1 nCOV-19 vaccine in a Phase III Clinical Trial
• Grantee: Luiz Mário Ramos Janini
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 22/11981-1 - Vaccination against COVID-19: understanding the past and present and designing the future
• Grantee: Luis Carlos de Souza Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - Brazil
• FAPESP's process: 21/05661-1 - Virological characterization of Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 isolates and their neutralization capabilities by serum from previously infected and/or vaccinated individuals
• Grantee: Robert Andreata Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 20/05204-7 - Development of SARS-CoV-2 auto-assembly protein-based nanovaccines
• Grantee: Luis Carlos de Souza Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants