Cross-neutralization and viral fitness of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages. Issue 1 (31st December 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xia, Hongjie; Yeung, Jason; Kalveram, Birte; Bills, Cody J.; Chen, John Yun-Chung; Kurhade, Chaitanya; Zou, Jing; Widen, Steven G.; Mann, Brian R.; Kondor, Rebecca; Davis, C. Todd; Zhou, Bin; Wentworth, David E.; Xie, Xuping; Shi, Pei-Yong
• Is Part Of: Emerging microbes & infections. Volume 12:Issue 1(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-12-31
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2 -- variants -- neutralization -- antigenicity -- viral fitness; Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 616.9041
• DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2161422
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2222-1751

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages mandates a better understanding of viral replication and cross-neutralization among these sublineages. Here we used K18-hACE2 mice and primary human airway cultures to examine the viral fitness and antigenic relationship among Omicron sublineages. In both K18-hACE2 mice and human airway cultures, Omicron sublineages exhibited a replication order of BA.5 ≥ BA.2 ≥ BA.2.12.1 > BA.1; no difference in body weight loss was observed among different sublineage-infected mice. The BA.1-, BA.2-, BA.2.12.1-, and BA.5-infected mice developed distinguishable cross-neutralizations against Omicron sublineages, but exhibited little neutralization against the index virus (i.e. USA-WA1/2020) or the Delta variant. Surprisingly, the BA.5-infected mice developed higher neutralization activity against heterologous BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 than that against homologous BA.5; serum neutralizing titres did not always correlate with viral replication levels in infected animals. Our results revealed a distinct antigenic cartography of Omicron sublineages and support the bivalent vaccine approach.