Antibodies Targeting Two Epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 Neutralize Pseudoviruses with the Spike Proteins from Different Variants

Chee-Hing Yang; Hui-Chun Li; Wen-Han Lee; Shih-Yen Lo

doi:10.3390/pathogens10070869

Antibodies Targeting Two Epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 Neutralize Pseudoviruses with the Spike Proteins from Different Variants

Pathogens. 2021 Jul 9;10(7):869. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10070869.

Authors

Chee-Hing Yang¹, Hui-Chun Li², Wen-Han Lee¹, Shih-Yen Lo^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97004, Taiwan.
² Department of Biochemistry, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97004, Taiwan.
³ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien 97004, Taiwan.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. To prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, an effective vaccine is required. Two linear peptides from potential B-cell epitopes in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (a.a. 440-460; a.a. 494-506) were synthesized and used to immunize rabbits. High-titer antibodies of IgG were produced, purified, and verified by Western blot analysis. Antibodies against these two epitopes could effectively neutralize SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviral particles with the spike proteins from not only the original strain (basal; wild-type), but also a strain with a single point mutation (D614G), and two other emerging variants (the Alpha and Beta variants) prevalent around the world, but not from SARS-CoV. In conclusion, antibodies against these two epitopes are protective. This information is important for the development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: Alpha variant; Beta variant; COVID-19; D614G; SARS-CoV-2; epitope; neutralization; pseudovirus; spike protein.

Grants and funding

TCIRP-P-109001/Tzu Chi University