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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.03.09.531948

Impaired potency of neutralizing antibodies against cell-cell fusion mediated by SARS-CoV-2

Wang, Q.·Yeh, A. Y.·Guo, Y.·Yu, J.·Ho, D. D.·Liu, L.
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Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants have dominated the pandemic due to their high transmissibility and immune evasion conferred by the spike mutations. The Omicron subvariants can spread by cell-free virus infection and cell-cell fusion, the latter of which is more effective but has not been extensively investigated. In this study, we developed a simple and high-throughput assay that provides a rapid readout to quantify cell-cell fusion mediated by the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins without using live or pseudotyped virus. This assay can be used to identify variants of concern and to screen for prophylactic and therapeutic agents. We further evaluated a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and vaccinee sera against D614G and Omicron subvariants, finding that cell-cell fusion is substantially more resistant to mAb and serum inhibition than cell-free virus infection. Such results have important implications for the development of vaccines and antiviral antibody drugs against cell-cell fusion induced by SARS-CoV-2 spikes.

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Wang, Q., Yeh, A. Y., Guo, Y., Yu, J., Ho, D. D., Liu, L.. 2023-03-10. Impaired potency of neutralizing antibodies against cell-cell fusion mediated by SARS-CoV-2. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.03.09.531948

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