Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-Specific Memory B Cells from Individuals with Diverse Disease Severities Recognize SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern

Zoe L. Lyski, Amanda E. Brunton, Matt I. Strnad, Peter E. Sullivan, Sarah A.R. Siegel, Fikadu G. Tafesse, Mark K. Slifka, William B. Messer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The unprecedented severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has called for substantial investigations into the capacity of the human immune system to protect against reinfection and keep pace with the evolution of SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated the magnitude and durability of the SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses against parental WA-1 SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and a representative variant of concern (VoC) RBD using antibodies from 2 antibody compartments: long-lived plasma cell-derived plasma antibodies and antibodies encoded by SARS-CoV-2-specific memory B cells (MBCs). Thirty-five participants naturally infected with SARS-CoV-2 were evaluated; although only 25 of 35 participants had VoC RBD-reactive plasma antibodies, 34 of 35 (97%) participants had VoC RBD-reactive MBC-derived antibodies. Our finding that 97% of previously infected individuals have MBCs specific for variant RBDs provides reason for optimism regarding the capacity of vaccination, prior infection, and/or both, to elicit immunity with the capacity to limit disease severity and transmission of VoCs as they arise and circulate.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)947-956
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume225
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 15 2022

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • antibody
  • disease severity
  • limiting dilution assay
  • memory B-cell
  • variant of concern

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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