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Impact of pathogen reduction methods on immunological properties of the COVID‐19 convalescent plasma
Author(s) -
Kostin Alexander I.,
Lundgren Maria N.,
Bulanov Andrey Y.,
Ladygina Elena A.,
Chirkova Karina S.,
Gintsburg Alexander L.,
Logunov Denis Y.,
Dolzhikova Inna V.,
Shcheblyakov Dmitry V.,
Borovkova Natalia V.,
Godkov Mikhail A.,
Bazhenov Alexey I.,
Shustov Valeriy V.,
Bogdanova Alina S.,
Kamalova Alina R.,
Ganchin Vladimir V.,
Dombrovskiy Eugene A.,
Volkov Stanislav E.,
Drozdova Nataliya E.,
Petrikov Sergey S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/vox.13056
Subject(s) - convalescent plasma , antibody , methylene blue , pathogen , plasmapheresis , covid-19 , riboflavin , chemistry , virus , titer , neutralizing antibody , virology , immunology , medicine , food science , biochemistry , disease , photocatalysis , infectious disease (medical specialty) , catalysis
Background and objectives COVID‐19 convalescent plasma is an experimental treatment against SARS‐CoV‐2. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of different pathogen reduction methods on the levels and virus neutralizing activity of the specific antibodies against SARS‐CoV2 in convalescent plasma. Materials and methods A total of 140 plasma doses collected by plasmapheresis from COVID‐19 convalescent donors were subjected to pathogen reduction by three methods: methylene blue (M)/visible light, riboflavin (R)/UVB and amotosalen (A)/UVA. To conduct a paired comparison, individual plasma doses were divided into 2 samples that were subjected to one of these methods. The titres of SARS‐CoV2 neutralizing antibodies (NtAbs) and levels of specific immunoglobulins to RBD, S‐ and N‐proteins of SARS‐CoV‐2 were measured before and after pathogen reduction. Results The methods reduced NtAbs titres differently: among units with the initial titre 80 or above, 81% of units remained unchanged and 19% decreased by one step after methylene blue; 60% were unchanged and 40% decreased by one step after amotosalen; after riboflavin 43% were unchanged and 50% (7%, respectively) had a one‐step (two‐step, respectively) decrease. Paired two‐sample comparisons (M vs. A, M vs. R and A vs. R) revealed that the largest statistically significant decrease in quantity and activity of the specific antibodies resulted from the riboflavin treatment. Conclusion Pathogen reduction with methylene blue or with amotosalen provides the greater likelihood of preserving the immunological properties of the COVID‐19 convalescent plasma compared to riboflavin.