Rapid development of neutralizing and diagnostic SARS-COV-2 mouse monoclonal antibodies

Sci Rep. 2021 May 6;11(1):9682. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-88809-0.

Abstract

The need for high-affinity, SARS-CoV-2-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is critical in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, as such reagents can have important diagnostic, research, and therapeutic applications. Of greatest interest is the ~ 300 amino acid receptor binding domain (RBD) within the S1 subunit of the spike protein because of its key interaction with the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor present on many cell types, especially lung epithelial cells. We report here the development and functional characterization of 29 nM-affinity mouse SARS-CoV-2 mAbs created by an accelerated immunization and hybridoma screening process. Differing functions, including binding of diverse protein epitopes, viral neutralization, impact on RBD-hACE2 binding, and immunohistochemical staining of infected lung tissue, were correlated with variable gene usage and sequence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis
  • COVID-19 / immunology*
  • COVID-19 Serological Testing
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Molecular
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2