The SARS-CoV-2 spike L452R-E484Q variant in the Indian B.1.617 strain showed significant reduction in the neutralization activity of immune sera. Issue 3 (30th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Gen; Zhou, Zhongcheng; Du, Peng; Yu, Meixing; Li, Ning; Xiong, Xinxin; Huang, Hong; Liu, Zhihai; Dai, Qinjin; Zhu, Jie; Guo, Chengbin; Wu, Shanyun; Baptista-Hon, Daniel T; Miao, Man; Ming, Lam Wai; Wu, Yong; Zeng, Fanxin; Zhang, Charlotte L; Zhang, Edward D; Song, Haifeng; Liu, Jianghai; Lau, Johnson Yiu-Nam; Xiang, Andy P; Zhang, Kang
• Is Part Of: Precision clinical medicine. Volume 4:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 149
• Page End: 154
• Publication Date: 2021-07-30
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2 -- COVID-19 -- B.1.617.1 -- L452R -- E484Q -- infectivity -- immune -- neutralization; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Periodicals; Personalized medicine -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1093/pcmedi/pbab016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2096-5303

Abstract

Abstract: To assess the impact of the key non-synonymous amino acid substitutions in the RBD of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617.1 (dominant variant identified in the current India outbreak) on the infectivity and neutralization activities of the immune sera, L452R and E484Q (L452R-E484Q variant), pseudotyped virus was constructed (with the D614G background). The impact on binding with the neutralizing antibodies was also assessed with an ELISA assay. Pseudotyped virus carrying a L452R-E484Q variant showed a comparable infectivity compared with D614G. However, there was a significant reduction in the neutralization activity of the immune sera from non-human primates vaccinated with a recombinant receptor binding domain (RBD) protein, convalescent patients, and healthy vaccinees vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine. In addition, there was a reduction in binding of L452R-E484Q-D614G protein to the antibodies of the immune sera from vaccinated non-human primates. These results highlight the interplay between infectivity and other biologic factors involved in the natural evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Reduced neutralization activities against the L452R-E484Q variant will have an impact on health authority planning and implications for the vaccination strategy/new vaccine development.