Neutralization capacity of antibodies elicited through homologous or heterologous infection or vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs

Meriem Bekliz; Kenneth Adea; Pauline Vetter; Christiane S Eberhardt; Krisztina Hosszu-Fellous; Diem-Lan Vu; Olha Puhach; Manel Essaidi-Laziosi; Sophie Waldvogel-Abramowski; Caroline Stephan; Arnaud G L'Huillier; Claire-Anne Siegrist; Arnaud M Didierlaurent; Laurent Kaiser; Benjamin Meyer; Isabella Eckerle

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-31556-1

Neutralization capacity of antibodies elicited through homologous or heterologous infection or vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs

Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 4;13(1):3840. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31556-1.

Authors

Meriem Bekliz¹, Kenneth Adea¹, Pauline Vetter^{2

3}, Christiane S Eberhardt^{4

5

6}, Krisztina Hosszu-Fellous^{2

3}, Diem-Lan Vu², Olha Puhach¹, Manel Essaidi-Laziosi¹, Sophie Waldvogel-Abramowski⁷, Caroline Stephan⁷, Arnaud G L'Huillier⁸, Claire-Anne Siegrist⁴, Arnaud M Didierlaurent⁴, Laurent Kaiser^{2

3}, Benjamin Meyer⁹, Isabella Eckerle^{10

11

12}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
² Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
³ Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁴ Center for Vaccinology and Neonatal Immunology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁵ Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Woman, Child and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁶ Center for Vaccinology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁷ Transfusion Unit, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁸ Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Women, Child and Adolescent Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁹ Center for Vaccinology and Neonatal Immunology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Benjamin.Meyer@unige.ch.
¹⁰ Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. isabella.eckerle@hcuge.ch.
¹¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. isabella.eckerle@hcuge.ch.
¹² Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland. isabella.eckerle@hcuge.ch.

Abstract

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants raise questions about escape from previous immunity. As the population immunity to SARS-CoV-2 has become more complex due to prior infections with different variants, vaccinations or the combination of both, understanding the antigenic relationship between variants is needed. Here, we have assessed neutralizing capacity of 120 blood specimens from convalescent individuals infected with ancestral SARS-CoV-2, Alpha, Beta, Gamma or Delta, double vaccinated individuals and patients after breakthrough infections with Delta or Omicron-BA.1. Neutralization against seven authentic SARS-CoV-2 isolates (B.1, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Zeta and Omicron-BA.1) determined by plaque-reduction neutralization assay allowed us to map the antigenic relationship of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Highest neutralization titers were observed against the homologous variant. Antigenic cartography identified Zeta and Omicron-BA.1 as separate antigenic clusters. Substantial immune escape in vaccinated individuals was detected for Omicron-BA.1 but not Zeta. Combined infection/vaccination derived immunity results in less Omicron-BA.1 immune escape. Last, breakthrough infections with Omicron-BA.1 lead to broadly neutralizing sera.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Antibodies
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Humans
SARS-CoV-2*
Vaccination

Substances

Antibodies

Supplementary concepts

SARS-CoV-2 variants