January 19, 2021

Evolution of Antibody Immunity to SARS-CoV-2

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Vaccines and Immunity

Keywords (Tags): immunity

Serological analysis in a cohort of 87 SARS-CoV-2 recovered individuals show that between 1.3 and 6.2 months after infection, IgM and IgG anti-spike receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody titers decrease, and neutralizing activity declines by 5-fold. In contrast, levels of RBD-specific memory B cells remain largely unchanged. Antibodies expressed by the memory B cells at 6.2 months have greater somatic hypermutation, increased potency and resistance to RBD mutations, which is indicative of an evolving immune response to SARS-CoV-2.

Gaebler et al. (Jan 18, 2021). Evolution of Antibody Immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03207-w