Recent infection with HCoV-OC43 may be associated with protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection

A H Ayesha Lavell; Jonne J Sikkens; Arthur W D Edridge; Karlijn van der Straten; Ferdyansyah Sechan; Melissa Oomen; David T P Buis; Michiel Schinkel; Judith A Burger; Meliawati Poniman; Jacqueline van Rijswijk; Menno D de Jong; Godelieve J de Bree; Edgar J G Peters; Yvo M Smulders; Rogier W Sanders; Marit J van Gils; Lia van der Hoek; Marije K Bomers

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.105105

Recent infection with HCoV-OC43 may be associated with protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection

iScience. 2022 Oct 21;25(10):105105. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105105. Epub 2022 Sep 9.

Authors

A H Ayesha Lavell^{1

2}, Jonne J Sikkens^{1

2}, Arthur W D Edridge^{2

3}, Karlijn van der Straten^{2

3

4}, Ferdyansyah Sechan^{2

3}, Melissa Oomen^{2

3}, David T P Buis^{1

2}, Michiel Schinkel^{2

5}, Judith A Burger^{2

3}, Meliawati Poniman^{2

3}, Jacqueline van Rijswijk^{2

3}, Menno D de Jong^{2

3}, Godelieve J de Bree^{2

4}, Edgar J G Peters^{1

2}, Yvo M Smulders^{1

2}, Rogier W Sanders^{2

3

6}, Marit J van Gils^{2

3}, Lia van der Hoek^{2

3}, Marije K Bomers^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
² Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
³ Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁴ Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁵ Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine (CEMM), Amsterdam UMC Location Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA.

Abstract

Antibodies against seasonal human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are known to cross-react with SARS-CoV-2, but data on cross-protective effects of prior HCoV infections are conflicting. In a prospective cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs), we studied the association between seasonal HCoV (OC43, HKU1, 229E and NL63) nucleocapsid protein IgG and SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first pandemic wave in the Netherlands (March 2020 - June 2020), by 4-weekly serum sampling. HCW with HCoV-OC43 antibody levels in the highest quartile, were less likely to become SARS-CoV-2 seropositive when compared with those with lower levels (6/32, 18.8%, versus 42/97, 43.3%, respectively: p = 0.019; HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.16-0.88). We found no significant association with HCoV-OC43 spike protein IgG, or with antibodies against other HCoVs. Our results indicate that the high levels of HCoV-OC43-nucleocapsid antibodies, as an indicator of a recent infection, are associated with protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection; this supports and informs efforts to develop pancoronavirus vaccines.

Keywords: Immunology; Molecular physiology; Virology.