Structural insights into broadly neutralizing antibodies elicited by hybrid immunity against SARS-CoV-2

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2023 Dec;12(1):2146538. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2146538.

Abstract

ABSTRACTIncreasing spread by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants challenges existing vaccines and broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against COVID-19. Here we determine the diversity, potency, breadth and structural insights of bNAbs derived from memory B cells of BNT162b2-vaccinee after homogeneous Omicron BA.1 breakthrough infection. The infection activates diverse memory B cell clonotypes for generating potent class I/II and III bNAbs with new epitopes mapped to the receptor-binding domain (RBD). The top eight bNAbs neutralize wildtype and BA.1 potently but display divergent IgH/IgL sequences and neuralization profiles against other variants of concern (VOCs). Two of them (P2D9 and P3E6) belonging to class III NAbs display comparable potency against BA.4/BA.5, although structural analysis reveals distinct modes of action. P3E6 neutralizes all variants tested through a unique bivalent interaction with two RBDs. Our findings provide new insights into hybrid immunity on BNT162b2-induced diverse memory B cells in response to Omicron breakthrough infection for generating diverse bNAbs with distinct structural basis.

Keywords: Omicron BA.1 breakthrough infection; SARS-CoV-2; broadly neutralizing antibody; hybrid immunity; memory B cell; structural basis of antibody.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • Breakthrough Infections
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics

Substances

  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Supplementary concepts

  • SARS-CoV-2 variants