Change of Antigenic Determinants of SARS-CoV-2 Virus S-Protein as a Possible Cause of Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of Virus Infection and Cytokine Storm.
Biophysics (Oxf)
; 65(4): 703-709, 2020.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-894831
ABSTRACT
A hypothesis is proposed that the cytokine storm syndrome, which complicates COVID-19 in some patients, is a consequence of antibody-dependent enhancement of virus infection, which is in turn happens due to a change in dominant antigenic determinants of SARS-CoV-2 S-protein. The antibody-dependent enhancement of virus infection is a phenomenon in which virus-specific antibodies that are not neutralizing enhance the entry of infectious virus into immune cells causing their death. Antibody-dependent enhancement has been reported for different coronaviruses. This phenomenon happens due to a decrease in the binding strength of neutralizing antibodies to the virus, which converts these antibodies into suboptimal-not neutralizing ones. According to our hypothesis, such a decrease in affinity may be associated with a change in the conformation of the viral S-protein. We believe that this conformational change is the major factor in the switching of antibodies affinity, which triggers antibody-dependent enhancement. However, other factors that contribute to antigen drift and antigenic determinant changes may also play a role.
Full text:
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Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
English
Journal:
Biophysics (Oxf)
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S0006350920040119
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