March 19, 2021

Neutralizing Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 Variants After Infection and Vaccination

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Vaccines and Immunity

Keywords (Tags): immunity

• Neutralizing antibody activity against four SARS-CoV-2 variants, including B.1, B.1.1.7, and N501Y was maintain in sera from individuals with infection- and vaccine-induced antibodies. There was minimal reductions in serum neutralization observed across four representative SARS-CoV-2 strains. Serum was obtained from adults (n=20) hospitalized with COVID-19 5 to 19 days after symptom onset, convalescent individuals (n=2) 32 to 94 days after symptom onset, and individuals (n=14) 14 days after the 2nd dose in the Moderna vaccine phase 1 clinical trial. Neutralizing activity was evaluated by “live virus focus reduction neutralization tests” against the A.1 lineage similar to original Wuhan strain, the B.1 lineage containing the D614G mutation that has emerged worldwide, the B.1.1.7 variant originally identified in the UK, and the N501Y engineered variant containing mutation in spike protein present across multiple emerging variants. Neutralizing activity was not significantly different across the four variants for both hospitalized COVID-19 patients and convalescent individuals. Neutralizing activity induced by vaccines was reduced for all strains compared to the original A1 strain but was similar for the B.1, B.1.1.7, and synthetic N501Y strain. 

Edara et al. (Mar 19, 2021). Neutralizing Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 Variants After Infection and Vaccination. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.4388