[PDF][PDF] Kinetics and correlates of the neutralizing antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans

K Vanshylla, V Di Cristanziano, F Kleipass, F Dewald… - Cell host & …, 2021 - cell.com
K Vanshylla, V Di Cristanziano, F Kleipass, F Dewald, P Schommers, L Gieselmann…
Cell host & microbe, 2021cell.com
Understanding antibody-based SARS-CoV-2 immunity is critical for overcoming the COVID-
19 pandemic and informing vaccination strategies. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 antibody
dynamics over 10 months in 963 individuals who predominantly experienced mild COVID-
19. Investigating 2,146 samples, we initially detected SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 94.4% of
individuals, with 82% and 79% exhibiting serum and IgG neutralization, respectively.
Approximately 3% of individuals demonstrated exceptional SARS-CoV-2 neutralization, with …
Summary
Understanding antibody-based SARS-CoV-2 immunity is critical for overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and informing vaccination strategies. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics over 10 months in 963 individuals who predominantly experienced mild COVID-19. Investigating 2,146 samples, we initially detected SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 94.4% of individuals, with 82% and 79% exhibiting serum and IgG neutralization, respectively. Approximately 3% of individuals demonstrated exceptional SARS-CoV-2 neutralization, with these "elite neutralizers" also possessing SARS-CoV-1 cross-neutralizing IgG. Multivariate statistical modeling revealed age, symptomatic infection, disease severity, and gender as key factors predicting SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing activity. A loss of reactivity to the virus spike protein was observed in 13% of individuals 10 months after infection. Neutralizing activity had half-lives of 14.7 weeks in serum versus 31.4 weeks in purified IgG, indicating a rather long-term IgG antibody response. Our results demonstrate a broad spectrum in the initial SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibody response, with sustained antibodies in most individuals for 10 months after mild COVID-19.
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