SARS-CoV-2 infection severity is linked to superior humoral immunity against the spike

Guthmiller, J. J.; Stovicek, O.; Wang, J.; Changrob, S.; Li, L.; Halfmann, P.; Zheng, N.-Y.; Utset, H.; Stamper, C. T.; Dugan, H. L.; Miller, W. D.; Huang, M.; Dai, Y.-N.; Nelson, C. A.; Hall, P. D.; Jansen, M.; Shanmugarajah, K.; Donington, J. S.; Krammer, F.; Fremont, D.; Joachimiak, A.; Kawaoka, Y.; Tesic, V.; Madariaga, M. L.; Wilson, P. C.

doi:10.1101/2020.09.12.294066

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2020.09.12.294066

SARS-CoV-2 infection severity is linked to superior humoral immunity against the spike

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Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently causing a global pandemic. The antigen specificity and kinetics of the antibody response mounted against this novel virus are not understood in detail. Here, we report that subjects with a more severe SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibit a larger antibody response against the spike and nucleocapsid protein and epitope spreading to subdominant viral antigens, such as open reading frame 8 and non-structural proteins. Subjects with a greater antibody response mounted a larger memory B cell response against the spike, but not the nucleocapsid protein. Additionally, we revealed that antibodies against the spike are still capable of binding the D614G spike mutant and cross-react with the SARS-CoV-1 receptor binding domain. Together, this study reveals that subjects with a more severe SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibit a greater overall antibody response to the spike and nucleocapsid protein and a larger memory B cell response against the spike.

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Guthmiller, J. J., Stovicek, O., Wang, J., Changrob, S., Li, L., Halfmann, P., Zheng, N.-Y., Utset, H., Stamper, C. T., Dugan, H. L., Miller, W. D., Huang, M., Dai, Y.-N., Nelson, C. A., Hall, P. D., Jansen, M., Shanmugarajah, K., Donington, J. S., Krammer, F., Fremont, D., Joachimiak, A., Kawaoka, Y., Tesic, V., Madariaga, M. L., Wilson, P. C.. 2020-09-13. SARS-CoV-2 infection severity is linked to superior humoral immunity against the spike. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.12.294066

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