Open AccessComparative evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 IgG assays against nucleocapsid and spike antigens
Author(s) -
Mitra Rezaei,
Mohammadhadi Sadeghi,
Alireza Korourian,
Payam Tabarsi,
Mihan Porabdollah,
Elham Askari,
Esmaeil Mortaz,
Shima Mahmoudi,
Majid Marjani,
Ali Akbar Velayati
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
human antibodies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.274
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1875-869X
pISSN - 1093-2607
DOI - 10.3233/hab-210440
Subject(s) - antibody , antigen , immunology , medicine , nucleoprotein , virology , real time polymerase chain reaction , immunoglobulin g , virus , biology , gene , biochemistry
BACKGROUND: There are few studies to compare antibody response against anti-spike (S) and anti- nucleoprotein (N) SARS-CoV-2. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the IgG antibody production against S and N antigens of the virus and their correlation with the time and severity of the disease. METHODS: The IgG antibodies against S and N antigens of SARS-CoV-2 in serum specimens of 72 symptomatic patients who tested real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction positive for SARS-CoV-2 were detected using the ELISA technique. Different antibody response was compared and the correlation with the time from disease onset and the severity was evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-eight of 72 (67%) patients tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, while 24 (33%) did not have detectable antibodies. Comparison of antibody levels for N and S antibodies showed that they correlate with each other well (r= 0.81; P< 0.001). However, sensitivity of anti-S SARS-CoV-2 IgG and anti-N SARS-CoV-2 IgG was 30% and 60%, during the first 7 days after symptom onset (r= 0.53; P= 0.111), but increased to 73% and 68% at more than 1-week post symptom onset (r= 0.89, P= 0.111), respectively. Cases with positive IgG response showed a decreased CD8+ T cells percentage compared to the negative IgG groups (26 ± 14 vs. 58 ± 32, p= 0.066 in anti-N IgG group and 28 ± 15 vs. 60 ± 45, p= 0.004 in anti-S IgG group, respectively). CONCLUSION: Nearly one-third of the confirmed COVID-19 patients had negative serology results. Lower percent positivity at early time points after symptom onset (less than 1 week) was seen using anti-S SARS-COV-2 IgG kit compare to the anti-N SARS-CoV-2 IgG; therefore, clinicians should interpret negative serology results of especially anti-S SARS-CoV-2 IgG with caution.