Immune response dynamics in COVID-19 patients to SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254367
• Publication Date: 2021-07-09T18:17:56Z
• Authors: Resmi Ravindran; Cindy McReynolds; Jun Yang; Bruce D. Hammock; Aamer Ikram; Amna Ali; Adnan Bashir; Tanzeel Zohra; W. L. William Chang; Dennis J. Hartiga...; Hooman H. Rashidi; Imran H. Khan
• Keywords: Coronavirus; Multiplex

COVID-19 serological test must have high sensitivity as well specificity to rule out cross-reactivity with common coronaviruses (HCoVs). We developed a quantitative multiplex test, measuring antibodies against spike (S) proteins of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and human coronavirus strains (229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1), nucleocapsid (N) protein SARS-CoV viruses. Receptor binding domain S SARS-CoV-2 (S-RBD), N protein, demonstrated (94% 92.5%, respectively) in patients (n = 53), 98% non-COVID-19 respiratory-disease 98), healthy-controls 129). Anti S-RBD appeared five ten days post-onset symptoms, peaking at approximately four weeks. The appearance IgG IgM coincided while subtypes, IgG1 IgG3 soon after the total IgG; IgG2 IgG4 remained undetectable. Several inflammatory cytokines/chemokines were found be elevated many (e.g., Eotaxin, Gro-α, CXCL-10 (IP-10), RANTES (CCL5), IL-2Rα, MCP-1, SCGF-b); was all. In contrast antibody titers, levels decreased improvement patient health suggesting it candidate for disease resolution. Importantly, anti-N appear before differentiate between vaccinated infected people—current vaccines (and several pipeline) are protein-based.