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Novel Affibody Molecules Specifically Bind to SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Efficiently Neutralize Delta and Omicron Variants.
Du, Wangqi; Jiang, Peipei; Li, Qingfeng; Wen, He; Zheng, Maolin; Zhang, Jing; Guo, Yanru; Yang, Jia; Feng, Weixu; Ye, Sisi; Kamara, Saidu; Jiang, Pengfei; Chen, Jun; Li, Wenshu; Zhu, Shanli; Zhang, Lifang.
  • Du W; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Jiang P; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Li Q; The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Wen H; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Zheng M; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Zhang J; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Guo Y; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Yang J; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Feng W; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Ye S; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Kamara S; The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Jiang P; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Chen J; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Li W; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Zhu S; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Zhang L; Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Microbiol Spectr ; 11(1): e0356222, 2023 02 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2240386
ABSTRACT
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has been an unprecedented public health disaster in human history, and its spike (S) protein is the major target for vaccines and antiviral drug development. Although widespread vaccination has been well established, the viral gene is prone to rapid mutation, resulting in multiple global spread waves. Therefore, specific antivirals are needed urgently, especially those against variants. In this study, the domain of the receptor binding motif (RBM) and fusion peptide (FP) (amino acids [aa] 436 to 829; denoted RBMFP) of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein was expressed as a recombinant RBMFP protein in Escherichia coli and identified as being immunogenic and antigenically active. Then, the RBMFP proteins were used for phage display to screen the novel affibody. After prokaryotic expression and selection, four novel affibody molecules (Z14, Z149, Z171, and Z327) were obtained. Through surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and pseudovirus neutralization assay, we showed that affibody molecules specifically bind to the RBMFP protein with high affinity and neutralize against SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection. Especially, Z14 and Z171 displayed strong neutralizing activities against Delta and Omicron variants. Molecular docking predicted that affibody molecule interaction sites with RBM overlapped with ACE2. Thus, the novel affibody molecules could be further developed as specific neutralization agents against SARS-CoV-2 variants. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 and its variants are threatening the whole world. Although a full dose of vaccine injection showed great preventive effects and monoclonal antibody reagents have also been used for a specific treatment, the global pandemic persists. So, developing new vaccines and specific agents are needed urgently. In this work, we expressed the recombinant RBMFP protein as an antigen, identified its antigenicity, and used it as an antigen for affibody phage-display selection. After the prokaryotic expression, the specific affibody molecules were obtained and tested for pseudovirus neutralization. Results showed that the serum antibody induced by RBMFP neutralized Omicron variants. The screened affibody molecules specifically bound the RBMFP of SARS-CoV-2 with high affinity and neutralized the Delta and Omicron pseudovirus in vitro. So, the RBMFP induced serum provides neutralizing effects against pseudovirus in vitro, and the affibodies have the potential to be developed into specific prophylactic agents for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Prognostic study Topics: Vaccines / Variants Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Microbiol Spectr Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Spectrum.03562-22

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Prognostic study Topics: Vaccines / Variants Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Microbiol Spectr Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Spectrum.03562-22