Human seasonal coronavirus neutralization and COVID‐19 severity

Wells, D. A. et al. (2022) Human seasonal coronavirus neutralization and COVID‐19 severity. Journal of Medical Virology, 94(10), pp. 4820-4829. (doi: 10.1002/jmv.27937) (PMID:35705514) (PMCID:PMC9349487)

Abstract

The virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the global coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, spread rapidly around the world causing high morbidity and mortality. However, there are four known, endemic seasonal coronaviruses in humans (HCoVs), and whether antibodies for these HCoVs play a role in severity of COVID-19 disease has generated a lot of interest. Of these seasonal viruses NL63 is of particular interest as it uses the same cell entry receptor as SARS-CoV-2. We use functional, neutralizing assays to investigate cross-reactive antibodies and their relationship with COVID-19 severity. We analyzed the neutralization of SARS-CoV-2, NL63, HKU1, and 229E in 38 COVID-19 patients and 62 healthcare workers, and a further 182 samples to specifically study the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and NL63. We found that although HCoV neutralization was very common there was little evidence that these antibodies neutralized SARS-CoV-2. Despite no evidence in cross-neutralization, levels of NL63 neutralizing antibodies become elevated after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through infection or following vaccination.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This study was undertaken by the Humoral Immune Correlates to COVID‐19 (HICC) consortium, funded by the UKRI and NIHR; grant number G107217 (COV0170‐HICC: Humoral Immune Correlates for COVID‐19).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cantoni, Dr Diego
• Authors: Wells, D. A., Cantoni, D., Mayora‐Neto, M., Genova, C. D., Sampson, A., Ferrari, M., Carnell, G., Nadesalingam, A., Smith, P., Chan, A., Raddi, G., Castillo‐Olivares, J., Baxendale, H., Temperton, N., and Heeney, J. L.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Journal of Medical Virology
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• ISSN (Online): 1096-9071
• Copyright Holders: Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
• First Published: First published in Journal of Medical Virology 94(10): 4820-4829
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence