TY - JOUR
T1 - SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant escapes neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses more efficiently than other variants in mild COVID-19 convalescents
AU - Garcia-Valtanen, Pablo
AU - Hope, Christopher M.
AU - Masavuli, Makutiro G.
AU - Yeow, Arthur Eng Lip
AU - Balachandran, Harikrishnan
AU - Mekonnen, Zelalem A.
AU - Al-Delfi, Zahraa
AU - Abayasingam, Arunasingam
AU - Agapiou, David
AU - Stella, Alberto Ospina
AU - Aggarwal, Anupriya
AU - Bouras, George
AU - Gummow, Jason
AU - Ferguson, Catherine
AU - O'Connor, Stephanie
AU - McCartney, Erin M.
AU - Lynn, David J.
AU - Maddern, Guy
AU - Gowans, Eric J.
AU - Reddi, Benjamin A.J.
AU - Shaw, David
AU - Kok-Lim, Chuan
AU - Beard, Michael R.
AU - Weiskopf, Daniela
AU - Sette, Alessandro
AU - Turville, Stuart G.
AU - Bull, Rowena A.
AU - Barry, Simon C.
AU - Grubor-Bauk, Branka
PY - 2022/6/21
Y1 - 2022/6/21
N2 - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescents living in regions with low vaccination rates rely on post-infection immunity for protection against re-infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We evaluate humoral and T cell immunity against five variants of concern (VOCs) in mild-COVID-19 convalescents at 12 months after infection with ancestral virus. In this cohort, ancestral, receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific antibody and circulating memory B cell levels are conserved in most individuals, and yet serum neutralization against live B.1.1.529 (Omicron) is completely abrogated and significantly reduced for other VOCs. Likewise, ancestral SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cell frequencies are maintained in >50% of convalescents, but the cytokine response in these cells to mutated spike epitopes corresponding to B.1.1.529 and B.1.351 (Beta) VOCs were impaired. These results indicate that increased antigen variability in VOCs impairs humoral and spike-specific T cell immunity post-infection, strongly suggesting that COVID-19 convalescents are vulnerable and at risk of re-infection with VOCs, thus stressing the importance of vaccination programs.
AB - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescents living in regions with low vaccination rates rely on post-infection immunity for protection against re-infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We evaluate humoral and T cell immunity against five variants of concern (VOCs) in mild-COVID-19 convalescents at 12 months after infection with ancestral virus. In this cohort, ancestral, receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific antibody and circulating memory B cell levels are conserved in most individuals, and yet serum neutralization against live B.1.1.529 (Omicron) is completely abrogated and significantly reduced for other VOCs. Likewise, ancestral SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cell frequencies are maintained in >50% of convalescents, but the cytokine response in these cells to mutated spike epitopes corresponding to B.1.1.529 and B.1.351 (Beta) VOCs were impaired. These results indicate that increased antigen variability in VOCs impairs humoral and spike-specific T cell immunity post-infection, strongly suggesting that COVID-19 convalescents are vulnerable and at risk of re-infection with VOCs, thus stressing the importance of vaccination programs.
KW - antibody response
KW - antigen drift
KW - memory B cells
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - T cell immunity
KW - Variant of Concern
KW - virus neutralization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131242045&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100651
DO - 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100651
M3 - Article
C2 - 35654046
AN - SCOPUS:85131242045
SN - 2666-3791
VL - 3
SP - 1-17, e1-e5
JO - Cell Reports Medicine
JF - Cell Reports Medicine
IS - 6
M1 - 100651
ER -