March 5, 2021

Time Series Analysis and Mechanistic Modelling of Heterogeneity and Sero-Reversion in Antibody Responses to Mild SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Vaccines and Immunity

Keywords (Tags): antibodies, immunity

• A prospective serology cohort study among UK healthcare workers found that by 21 weeks, 22% (31 of 143) of those previously positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike (S1) antibodies reverted to being S1 negative, while only 4% (6 of 150) of those previously positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (NP) antibodies reverted to being NP negative, which the authors suggest may indicate that anti-S mediated humoral immunity in some individuals may not persist long after the initial post-infection period. Additionally, while both anti-S1 and anti-NP measurements correlated well, only anti-S1 measurements correlated with neutralizing antibody titers. Mathematical modelling showed that anti-S1 antibodies cleared faster compared to anti-NP antibodies (median half-life 2.5 weeks vs 4 weeks), transitioned earlier to decreased antibody production (median 8 vs 13 weeks), and had lower relative production rates after the transition (median 35% vs 50%).

Manisty et al. (Mar 2, 2021). Time Series Analysis and Mechanistic Modelling of Heterogeneity and Sero-Reversion in Antibody Responses to Mild SARS-CoV-2 Infection. EBioMedicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103259