Open AccessVaccination with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern protects mice from challenge with wild-type virus
Author(s) -
Fatima Amanat,
Shirin Strohmeier,
Philip Meade,
Nicholas Dambrauskas,
Barbara Mühlemann,
Derek J. Smith,
В. И. Вигдорович,
D. Noah Sather,
Lynda Coughlan,
Florian Krammer
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.127
H-Index - 271
eISSN - 1545-7885
pISSN - 1544-9173
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001384
Subject(s) - virology , biology , immunogenicity , neutralizing antibody , antibody , antigen , vaccination , virus , coronavirus , neutralization , titer , immunology , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , medicine , pathology
Vaccines against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been highly efficient in protecting against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the emergence of viral variants that are more transmissible and, in some cases, escape from neutralizing antibody responses has raised concerns. Here, we evaluated recombinant protein spike antigens derived from wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and from variants B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 for their immunogenicity and protective effect in vivo against challenge with wild-type SARS-CoV-2 in the mouse model. All proteins induced high neutralizing antibodies against the respective viruses but also induced high cross-neutralizing antibody responses. The decline in neutralizing titers between variants was moderate, with B.1.1.7-vaccinated animals having a maximum fold reduction of 4.8 against B.1.351 virus. P.1 induced the most cross-reactive antibody responses but was also the least immunogenic in terms of homologous neutralization titers. However, all antigens protected from challenge with wild-type SARS-CoV-2 in a mouse model.