[PDF][PDF] Both COVID-19 infection and vaccination induce high-affinity cross-clade responses to SARS-CoV-2 variants

M Emmenegger, S Fiedler, SD Brugger, SRA Devenish… - Iscience, 2022 - cell.com
Iscience, 2022cell.com
Summary The B. 1.1. 529 (omicron) variant has rapidly supplanted most other SARS-CoV-2
variants. Using microfluidics-based antibody affinity profiling (MAAP), we have characterized
affinity and IgG concentration in the plasma of 39 individuals with multiple trajectories of
SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or vaccination. Antibody affinity was similar against the wild-type,
delta, and omicron variants (KA ranges: 122±155, 159±148, 211±307 μM-1, respectively),
indicating a surprisingly broad and mature cross-clade immune response. Postinfectious …
Summary
The B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant has rapidly supplanted most other SARS-CoV-2 variants. Using microfluidics-based antibody affinity profiling (MAAP), we have characterized affinity and IgG concentration in the plasma of 39 individuals with multiple trajectories of SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or vaccination. Antibody affinity was similar against the wild-type, delta, and omicron variants (KA ranges: 122 ± 155, 159 ± 148, 211 ± 307 μM-1, respectively), indicating a surprisingly broad and mature cross-clade immune response. Postinfectious and vaccinated subjects showed different IgG profiles, with IgG3 (p-value = 0.002) against spike being more prominent in the former group. Lastly, we found that the ELISA titers correlated linearly with measured concentrations (R = 0.72) but not with affinity (R = 0.29). These findings suggest that the wild-type and delta spike induce a polyclonal immune response capable of binding the omicron spike with similar affinity. Changes in titers were primarily driven by antibody concentration, suggesting that B-cell expansion, rather than affinity maturation, dominated the response after infection or vaccination.
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