Your browser doesn't support javascript.
Identification of an immunogenic epitope and protective antibody against the furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2.
Li, Lili; Gao, Meiling; Li, Jie; Xie, Xuping; Zhao, Hui; Wang, Yanan; Xu, Xin; Zu, Shulong; Chen, Chunfeng; Wan, Dingyi; Duan, Jing; Wang, Jingfeng; Aliyari, Saba R; Gold, Sarah; Zhang, Jicai; Qin, Cheng-Feng; Shi, Pei-Yong; Yang, Heng; Cheng, Genhong.
  • Li L; Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
  • Gao M; Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
  • Li J; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
  • Xie X; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
  • Zhao H; Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China.
  • Wang Y; Suzhou Func Biotech Inc, Suzhou, China.
  • Xu X; Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
  • Zu S; Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
  • Chen C; Suzhou Func Biotech Inc, Suzhou, China.
  • Wan D; AtaGenix Laboratories (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China.
  • Duan J; AtaGenix Laboratories (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China.
  • Wang J; Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China; Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • Aliyari SR; Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • Gold S; Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • Zhang J; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
  • Qin CF; Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China. Electronic address: qincf@bmi.ac.cn.
  • Shi PY; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. Electronic address: peshi@utmb.edu.
  • Yang H; Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China. Electronic address: yh@ism.cams.cn.
  • Cheng G; Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: gcheng@mednet.ucla.edu.
EBioMedicine ; 87: 104401, 2023 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2149637
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, contains a unique, four amino acid (aa) "PRRA" insertion in the spike (S) protein that creates a transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2)/furin cleavage site and enhances viral infectivity. More research into immunogenic epitopes and protective antibodies against this SARS-CoV-2 furin cleavage site is needed.

METHODS:

Combining computational and experimental methods, we identified and characterized an immunogenic epitope overlapping the furin cleavage site that detects antibodies in COVID-19 patients and elicits strong antibody responses in immunized mice. We also identified a high-affinity monoclonal antibody from COVID-19 patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells; the antibody directly binds the furin cleavage site and protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection in a mouse model.

FINDINGS:

The presence of "PRRA" amino acids in the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 not only creates a furin cleavage site but also generates an immunogenic epitope that elicits an antibody response in COVID-19 patients. An antibody against this epitope protected against SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice.

INTERPRETATION:

The immunogenic epitope and protective antibody we have identified may augment our strategy in handling COVID-19 epidemic.

FUNDING:

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (82102371, 91542201, 81925025, 82073181, and 81802870), the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Initiative for Innovative Medicine (2021-I2M-1-047 and 2022-I2M-2-004), the Non-profit Central Research Institute Fund of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2020-PT310-006, 2019XK310002, and 2018TX31001), the National Key Research and Development Project of China (2020YFC0841700), US National Institute of Health (NIH) funds grant AI158154, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) AI and Charity Treks, and UCLA DGSOM BSCRC COVID-19 Award Program. H.Y. is supported by Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20211554 andBE2022728).
Subject(s)
Keywords
Fulltext
Print
XML
PubMed Links
Search on Google

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study Limits: Animals Language: English Journal: EBioMedicine Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.ebiom.2022.104401

Similar

MEDLINE
LILACS
LIS
Fulltext
Print
XML
PubMed Links
Search on Google

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study Limits: Animals Language: English Journal: EBioMedicine Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.ebiom.2022.104401