Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariant BA.2.87.1

Vaccine. 2024 Apr 2;42(9):2117-2121. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.007. Epub 2024 Mar 7.

Abstract

A new highly mutated Omicron subvariant BA.2.87.1 has recently been identified with over 30 amino acid mutations in the Spike protein compared with BA.2, BA.5, XBB.1.5, and JN.1 variants. Mutiple mutations in BA.2.87.1 are located in the N-terminal domain (NTD) rather than in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike protein. We evaluated neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses to BA.2.87.1 because of its highly mutated sequence and its unique NTD region. Our data show that NAb responses to BA.2.87.1 were lower than to BA.2 but higher than to JN.1, suggesting that BA.2.87.1 is not a further antibody escape variant compared with other currently circulating variants. Moreover, XBB.1.5 mRNA boosting increased NAb titers to all variants tested including BA.2.87.1.

Keywords: BA.2.87.1; Neutralizing antibody; Omicron; SARS-CoV-2; mRNA.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics

Substances

  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • Amino Acids
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Supplementary concepts

  • SARS-CoV-2 variants