Biology subjects

Deshpande, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Deshpande, G..

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Wunen(s) help navigate Primordial Germ Cells by attenuating Hedgehog signaling

Directed cell migration is a vital process that depends on the combined activities of attractive and repulsive cues. As it is essential for normal development, the precise identity of guidance signals and the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms is being rigorously investigated. In a Drosophila embryo, PGC migration is orchestrated by non-cell autonomous repulsive and attractive cues, controlled by Wunen(s) - Wunen and Wunen2 and, HMGCoA-reductase (Hmgcr), respectively. Hedgehog (Hh), a PGC attractant, is potentiated by Hmgcr. We demonstrate that Wunen(s) employ both nonautonomous and autonomous modes to inhibit Hh signaling. Consistently, in embryos maternally compromised for wunen, mesodermal cells and PGCs accumulate excess Hh, leading to precocious clumping of the PGCs. This behaviour is reminiscent of PGC-specific loss of patched (ptc) - the Hh receptor and an antagonist of Smoothened (Smo), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), involved in Hh signal transduction. Consistently, Wunen(s) inhibit membrane localization of Smo. Conversely, simultaneous overexpression of wunen mitigates PGC scattering induced by ectopic hmgcr expression. Finally, unbiased lipidomics of embryonic extracts after maternal knockdown of wunen confirms disruptions in lipid metabolism. We discuss the mechanistic underpinnings of Wunen(s) involvement in repressing Hh signalling to engineer PGC migration.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Tumor Microenvironment in Ovarian Cancer through Spatial Transcriptomics and Identification of Key Gene Expression Profiles

Ovarian cancer exhibits marked heterogeneity within its complex tumor microenvironment, driving progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. This study presents a novel integration of spatial transcriptomics with single-cell RNA sequencing to comprehensively characterize the molecular landscape of ovarian cancer tissues. Employing the Leiden clustering algorithm at an optimal resolution of 0.7, we identified 13 distinct cellular subpopulations with unique transcriptional signatures. Pseudotime trajectory analysis revealed dynamic gene expression patterns associated with disease progression. Notably, FOSB, AMOTL2, and SLCO4A1 showed progressive upregulation during cellular differentiation, strongly implicating them in tumor cell motility and metastatic potential. Conversely, PLEK, CFB, and ADGRB1 maintained stable expression patterns, suggesting critical roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis and signal transduction. We observed significant downregulation of mitochondrial genes (particularly MT-CO2) and extracellular matrix components (such as COL1A2) in later differentiation stages, highlighting their importance in early oncogenic processes. Functional enrichment analysis connected these gene clusters to key biological pathways including extracellular matrix remodeling (COL family), mitochondrial energy metabolism (MT-CO2), and immune response modulation (CD163, PLEK). Our findings not only provide unprecedented insights into the molecular architecture of ovarian cancer but also identify several promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. This integrative spatial-temporal approach establishes a robust framework for understanding the complex interplay within the tumor microenvironment and offers new strategic directions for developing personalized interventions in ovarian cancer treatment.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2024

Caspar determines primordial germ cell identity in Drosophila melanogaster

Repurposing of pleiotropic factors during execution of diverse cellular processes has emerged as a regulatory paradigm. Embryonic development in metazoans is controlled by maternal factors deposited in the egg during oogenesis. Here, we explore maternal role(s) of Caspar (Casp), the Drosophila orthologue of human Fas-associated factor-1 (FAF1) originally implicated in host-defense as a negative regulator of NF-{kappa}B signaling. Maternal loss of either Casp or its protein partner, Transitional endoplasmic reticulum 94 (TER94) leads to partial embryonic lethality correlated with aberrant centrosome behavior, cytoskeletal abnormalities, and defective gastrulation. Although ubiquitously distributed, both proteins are enriched in the primordial germ cells (PGCs), and in keeping with the centrosome problems, mutant embryos display a significant reduction in the PGC count. Moreover, the total number of pole buds is directly proportional to the level of Casp. Consistently, its loss and gain results in respective reduction and increase in the Oskar protein levels, the master determinant of PGC fate. To elucidate this regulatory loop, we analyzed several known components of mid-blastula transition and identify the translational repressor Smaug, a zygotic regulator of germ cell specification, as a potential critical target. We present a detailed structure-function analysis of Casp aimed at understanding its novel involvement during PGC development.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2023

Noninvasive detection of Phenylalanine in the human brain with MRS at 7T

We set out to measure phenylalanine in the human brain using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in a ultra-high field 7T MRI scanner. Phenylalanine is a precursor to Norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter important for attention and arousal. Depletion in norepinephrine, especially in the locus coeruleus, has been implicated as an etiological factor in Alzheimers disease. Therefore, being able to noninvasively measure phenylalanine in vivo in humans has a multitude of translational applications. Using phantom experiments, we first validate and optimize the MRS techniques used for observing phenylalanine in the brain at 7T. However, we failed to detect phenylalanine in human volunteers (N=15). In order to understand the reasons for this failure, we performed experiments in a cat model with external phenylalanine injections to determine the amount of phenylalanine required for it to be detected in vivo in the brain. This threshold was found to be 3.4 mM. This indicated that phenylalanine concentrations in both healthy and AD patients, that too in a small region such as the locus coeruleus, will likely not meet this threshold. Therefore, we conclude that even with state-of-the-art technologies and 7T MRI, it is not possible to detect phenylalanine in the human brain in vivo under natural conditions.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

High-affinity biomolecular interactions are modulated by low-affinity binders

Molecular interactions play a central role in all biological processes. The strength of these interactions is often characterized by their dissociation constants (KD). The high affinity interactions (KD [≤] 10-8 M) are crucial for the proper execution of cellular processes and are thus extensively investigated. Detailed molecular and biochemical analyses of such high affinity interactions have lent considerable support to the concept of binary on/off switches in different biological contexts. However, such studies have typically discounted the presence of low-affinity binders (KD > 10-5 M) in the cellular environment. In this study, we have assessed the potential influence of such low affinity binders on high affinity interactions. By employing Gillespie stochastic simulations as well as continuous methods, we demonstrate that the presence of low-affinity binders can indeed alter the kinetics and the steady state of high-affinity interactions. We refer to this effect as herd regulation and have evaluated its possible impact in two different contexts including sex determination in Drosophila melanogaster and in signalling systems that employ molecular thresholds. Lastly, we suggest an in vitro experimental strategy to validate herd regulation. Based on these analyses, we propose that low-affinity binders are likely prevalent in different biological contexts where the outcomes are contingent upon threshold value determinants and thus potentially impact their homeostatic regulation.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Comparison of hemodynamic response functions estimated from resting-state functional MRI and invasive electrophysiological recordings in rats

Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) is a popular technology that has enriched our understanding of brain and spinal cord functioning, including how different regions communicate (connectivity). But fMRI is an indirect measure of neural activity capturing blood hemodynamics. The hemodynamic response function (HRF) interfaces between the unmeasured neural activity and measured fMRI time series. The HRF is variable across brain regions and individuals, and is modulated by non-neural factors. Ignoring this HRF variability causes errors in FC estimates. Hence, it is crucial to reliably estimate the HRF from rs-fMRI data. Robust techniques have emerged to estimate the HRF from fMRI time series. Although such techniques have been validated non-invasively using simulated and empirical fMRI data, thorough invasive validation using simultaneous electrophysiological recordings, the gold standard, has been elusive. This report addresses this gap in the literature by comparing HRFs derived from invasive intracranial electroencephalogram recordings with HRFs estimated from simultaneously acquired fMRI data in six epileptic rats. We found that the HRF shape parameters (HRF amplitude, latency and width) were not significantly different (p>0.05) between ground truth and estimated HRFs. In the single pathological region, the HRF width was marginally significantly different (p=0.03). Our study provides preliminary invasive validation for the efficacy of the HRF estimation technique in reliably estimating the HRF non-invasively from rs-fMRI data directly. This has a notable impact on rs-fMRI connectivity studies, and we recommend that HRF deconvolution be performed to minimize HRF variability and improve connectivity estimates.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Degradomic identification of membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP/MMP14) as an ADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20 substrate

The secreted metalloproteases ADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20 are implicated in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteolysis and primary cilium biogenesis. Here, we show that clonal gene-edited RPE-1 cells in which ADAMTS9 was inactivated, and which constitutively lack ADAMTS20 expression, have morphologic characteristics distinct from parental RPE-1 cells. To investigate underlying proteolytic mechanisms, a quantitative N-terminomics method, terminal amine isotopic labeling of substrates (TAILS) was used to compare parental and gene-edited cells and their medium to identify ADAMTS9 substrates. Among differentially abundant N-terminally labeled internal peptides arising from secreted and transmembrane proteins, a peptide with lower abundance in the medium of gene-edited cells suggested cleavage at the Tyr314-Gly315 bond in the ectodomain of the transmembrane metalloprotease MT1-MMP, whose mRNA was also reduced in gene-edited cells. This cleavage, occurring in the MT1-MMP hinge i.e., between the catalytic and hemopexin domains, was orthogonally validated both by lack of an MT1-MMP catalytic domain fragment in the medium of gene-edited cells and restoration of its release from the cell surface by re-expression of ADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20, and was dependent on hinge O-glycosylation. Since MT1-MMP is a type I transmembrane protein, identification of an N-terminally labeled peptide in the medium suggested additional downstream cleavage sites in its ectodomain. Indeed, a C-terminally semi-tryptic MT1-MMP peptide with greater abundance in wild-type RPE-1 medium identified by a targeted search indicated a cleavage site in the hemopexin domain. Consistent with retention of MT1-MMP catalytic domain on the surface of gene-edited cells, pro-MMP2 activation, which requires cell-surface MT1-MMP, was increased. MT1-MMP knockdown in gene-edited ADAMTS9/20-deficient cells restored focal adhesions but not ciliogenesis. The findings expand the web of interacting proteases at the cell-surface, suggest a role for ADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20 in regulating cell-surface activity of MT1-MMP and indicate that MT1-MMP shedding does not underlie their observed requirement in ciliogenesis. HighlightsO_LIADAMTS9-deficient RPE-1 cells have impaired substrate attachment C_LIO_LIADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20 release the MT1-MMP catalytic domain from the cell-surface C_LIO_LIIncreased cell-surface MT1-MMP increases pro-MMP2 activation and collagenolysis C_LIO_LIMT1-MMP knockdown restores substrate attachment of ADAMTS9-deficient RPE-1 cells. C_LI In BriefADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20 are homologous secreted proteases implicated in ECM proteolysis and ciliogenesis, but few relevant substrates of these proteases are currently known. Quantitative N-terminomics comparison of RPE-1 cells with ADAMTS9 inactivation and parental RPE-1 cells identified transmembrane protease MT1-MMP (MMP14) as a novel ADAMTS9 substrate. The resulting enhanced cell-surface MT1-MMP activity in the gene-edited cells contributes to their adhesion defect, but not lack of cilia. A key physiological function of ADAMTS9/20 may be to dampen cell-surface MT1-MMP activity.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2022

Protective efficacy of COVAXIN(R) against Delta and Omicron variants in hamster model

The immunity acquired after natural infection or vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 tend to wane with time. Vaccine effectiveness also varies with the variant of infection. Here, we compared the protective efficacy of COVAXIN(R) following 2 and 3 dose immunizations against the Delta variant and also studied the efficacy of COVAXIN(R) against Omicron variants in a Syrian hamster model. The antibody response, clinical observations, viral load reduction and lung disease severity after virus challenge were studied. Protective response in terms of the reduction in lung viral load and lung lesions were observed in both the 2 dose as well as 3 doses COVAXIN(R) immunized group when compared to placebo group following the Delta variant challenge. In spite of the comparable neutralizing antibody response against the homologous vaccine strain in both the 2 dose and 3 dose immunized groups, considerable reduction in the lung disease severity was observed in the 3 dose immunized group post Delta variant challenge indicating the involvement of cell mediated immune response also in protection. In the vaccine efficacy study against the Omicron variants i.e., BA.1 and BA.2, lesser virus shedding, lung viral load and lung disease severity were observed in the immunized groups in comparison to the placebo groups. The present study shows that administration of COVAXIN(R) booster dose will enhance the vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant infection and give protection against the Omicron variants BA.1.1 and BA.2.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Germline/soma distinction in Drosophila embryos requires regulators of zygotic genome activation

In Drosophila melanogaster embryos, somatic versus germline identity is the first cell fate decision. Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) orchestrates regionalized gene expression, imparting specific identity on somatic cells. ZGA begins with a minor wave that commences at nuclear cycle (NC) 8 under the guidance of chromatin accessibility factors (Zelda, CLAMP, GAF), followed by the major wave during NC14. By contrast, primordial germ cell (PGC) specification requires maternally deposited and posteriorly anchored germline determinants. This is accomplished by a centrosome coordinated release and sequestration of germ plasm during the precocious cellularization of PGCs in NC10. Here we report a novel requirement for Zelda and CLAMP during the establishment of the germline/soma distinction. When their activity is compromised, PGC determinants are not properly sequestered, and specification is disrupted. Conversely, the spreading of PGC determinants from the posterior pole adversely influences transcription in the neighboring somatic nuclei. These reciprocal aberrations can be correlated with defects in centrosome duplication/separation that are known to induce inappropriate transmission of the germ plasm. Interestingly, consistent with the ability of BMP signaling to influence specification of embryonic PGCs, reduction in the transcript levels of a BMP family ligand, decapentaplegic (dpp), is exacerbated at the posterior pole.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Substantial immune response in Omicron infected breakthrough and unvaccinated individuals against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concerns

The recent emergence of highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has debilitating effect on public health system of the affected countries worldwide. Currently India is facing third wave of COVID-19 pandemic and going through a severe crisis. Within short span of time, the variant has shown high transmissibility and capability of evading the immune response generated against natural infection and vaccination. The immune escape potential of Omicron is a serious concern and further needs to be explored. In the present study, we have assessed the IgG and neutralizing antibody (NAb) response in breakthrough individuals vaccinated with two doses ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (n=25), breakthrough individuals vaccinated with two doses of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (n=8) and unvaccinated individuals (n=6). All these individuals were infected with Omicron variant. The IgG antibody activity in the sera of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and BNT162b2 mRNA breakthrough individuals was comparable with S1-RBD, while it was lesser in BNT162b2 mRNA breakthrough individuals with N protein and inactivated whole antigen IgG ELISA. BNT162b2 mRNA breakthrough individuals showed moderate reduction in NAb GMTs compared to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 against Alpha, Beta and Delta. However, 3-fold higher reduction was observed with omicron variant in BNT162b2 mRNA than ChAdOx1 nCoV-19. Apparently, Alpha variant was modestly resistant to the sera of unvaccinated individuals than Beta, Delta and Omicron. Our study demonstrated substantial immune response in the individuals infected with Omicron. The neutralizing antibodies could effectively neutralize the Omicron and other VOCs including the most prevalent Delta variant.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron in Syrian hamsters and its neutralization with different Variants of Concern

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is rampantly spreading across the globe. Animal models are useful in understanding the disease characteristics as well as properties of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. We assessed the pathogenicity and immune response generated by BA.1 sub-lineage of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant with R346K mutation in 5 to 6-week old Syrian hamsters. Virus shedding, organ viral load, lung disease and immune response generated were sequentially assessed. The disease characteristics of Omicron were found to be similar to that of other SARS-CoV-2 variants of concerns in hamsters like high viral replication in the respiratory tract and interstitial pneumonia. The infected hamsters demonstrated lesser body weight gain in comparison to the uninfected control hamsters. Viral RNA could be detected in nasal washes and respiratory organs (nasal turbinate, trachea, bronchi and lungs) till 10 and 14 days respectively. The clearance of the virus was observed from nasal washes and lungs by day 7. Neutralizing antibody response against Omicron variant was detected from day 5 with rising antibody titers till 14 days. However, the cross-neutralization titre of the sera against other variants showed severe reduction ie., 7 fold reduction against Alpha and no titers against B.1, Beta and Delta. This preliminary data shows that Omicron variant infection can produce moderate to severe lung disease and the neutralizing antibodies produced in response to Omicron variant infection shows poor neutralizing ability against other co-circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants like Delta which necessitates caution as it may lead to increased cases of reinfection.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Horizontal mitochondrial transfer from the microenvironment increases glioblastoma tumorigenicity

While dynamic microenvironmental interactions drive tumor growth and therapeutic resistance, the underlying direct cell-cell communication mechanisms remain poorly understood. We identified horizontal mitochondrial transfer as a mechanism that enhances tumorigenesis in glioblastoma. This transfer occurs primarily from brain-resident cells, including astrocytes, and can be appreciated in vitro and in vivo through intercellular connections between GBM cells and non-malignant host cells. The acquisition of astrocyte mitochondria drives an overall enhancement of mitochondrial membrane potential and metabolic capacity, while increasing glioblastoma cell self-renewal and tumor-initiating capacity. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that mitochondrial transfer augments the tumorigenic capacity of glioblastoma cells and reveals a previously unknown cell-cell communication mechanism that drives tumor growth. One-Sentence SummaryMitochondrial transfer from astrocytes to glioblastoma alters metabolic profile and enhances the tumor-initiation capacity.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Nucleoporin107 mediates female sexual differentiation via Dsx

We recently identified a missense mutation in Nucleoporin107 (Nup107; D447N) underlying XX-ovarian-dysgenesis, a rare disorder characterized by underdeveloped and dysfunctional ovaries. Modelling of the human mutation in Drosophila or specific knockdown of Nup107 in the gonadal soma resulted in ovarian-dysgenesis-like phenotypes. Transcriptomic analysis identified the somatic sex-determination gene doublesex (dsx) as a target of Nup107. Establishing Dsx as a primary relevant target of Nup107, either loss or gain of Dsx in the gonadal soma is sufficient to mimic or rescue the phenotypes induced by Nup107 loss. Importantly, the aberrant phenotypes induced by compromising either Nup107 or dsx are reminiscent of BMP signaling hyperactivation. Remarkably, in this context, the metalloprotease AdamTS-A, a transcriptional target of both Dsx and Nup107, is necessary for the calibration of BMP signaling. As modulation of BMP signaling is a conserved critical determinant of soma-germline interaction, the sex and tissue specific deployment of Dsx-F by Nup107 seems crucial for the maintenance of the homeostatic balance between the germ cells and somatic gonadal cells.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Comparable neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Delta AY.1 and Delta in individuals sera vaccinated with BBV152

The recent emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern, B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant and its high transmissibility has led to the second wave in India. BBV152, a whole-virion inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine used for mass immunization in India, showed a 65.2% protection against the Delta variant in a double-blind, randomized, multicentre, phase 3 clinical trial. Subsequently, Delta has been further mutated to Delta AY.1, AY.2, and AY.3. Of these, AY.1 variant was first detected in India in April 2021 and subsequently from twenty other countries as well. Here, we have evaluated the IgG antibody titer and neutralizing potential of sera of COVID-19 naive individuals full doses of BBV152 vaccine, COVID-19 recovered cases with full dose vaccines and breakthrough cases post-immunization BBV152 vaccines against Delta, Delta AY.1 and B.1.617.3. A reduction in neutralizing activity was observed with the COVID-19 naive individuals full vaccinated (1.3, 1.5, 1.9-fold), COVID-19 recovered cases with full BBV152 immunization (2.5, 3.5, 3.8-fold) and breakthrough cases post-immunization (1.9, 2.8, 3.5-fold) against Delta, Delta AY.1 and B.1.617.3 respectively compared to B.1 variant. A minor reduction was observed in the neutralizing antibody titer in COVID-19 recovered cases full BBV152 vaccinated and post immunized infected cases compared to COVID-19 naive vaccinated individuals. However, with the observed high titers, the sera of individuals belonging to all the aforementioned groups they would still neutralize the Delta, Delta AY.1 and B.1.617.3 variants effectively.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Neutralization of Delta variant with sera of Covishield vaccinees and COVID-19 recovered vaccinated individuals

The recent emergence of B.1.617 lineage has created grave public health problem in India. The lineage further mutated to generate sub-lineages B.1.617.1 (Kappa), B.1.617.2 (Delta), B.1.617.3. Apparently, the Delta variant has slowly dominated the other variants including B.1.617.1 (Kappa), B.1.617.2 (Delta), B.1.617.3. With this, World Health Organization has described this sub-lineage as variant of concern. The high transmissibility associated with Delta variant has led to second wave of pandemic in India which affected millions of people. Besides this, variant of concerns has been reported to show lower neutralization to several approved vaccines. This has led to breakthrough infections after completion of vaccination regimen. There is limited information available on the duration of protective immune response post-infection, vaccination or breakthrough infection with SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we have evaluated immune response in sera of the Covishield vaccinated individuals belonging to category: I. one dose vaccinated, II. two doses vaccinated, III. COVID-19 recovered plus one dose vaccinated, IV. COVID-19 recovered plus two doses vaccinated and V. breakthrough COVID-19 cases. The findings of the study demonstrated that the breakthrough cases and the COVID-19 recovered individuals with one or two dose of vaccine had relatively higher protection against Delta variant in comparison to the participants who were administered either one or two doses of Covishield. Prior vaccination results in less severe disease against subsequent infection provide evidence that both humoral and cellular immune response play an important role in protection.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Neutralization against B.1.351 and B.1.617.2 with sera of COVID-19 recovered cases and vaccinees of BBV152

Recently, multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants have been detected across the globe. The recent emergence of B.1.617 lineage has created serious public health problem in India. The high transmissibility was observed with this lineage which has led to daily increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Apparently, the sub-lineage B.1.617.2 has slowly dominated the other variants including B1617.1, B.617.3 and B.1.1.7. With this, World Health Organization has described B.1.617.2 as variant of concern. Besides this, variant of concern B.1.351 has been also reported from India, known to showreducedefficacyfor many approved vaccines. With the increasing threat of the SARS-CoV-2 variants, it is imperative to assess the efficacy of the currently available vaccines against these variants. Here, we have evaluated the neutralization potential of sera collected from COVID-19 recovered cases (n=20) and vaccinees with two doses of BBV152 (n=17) against B.1.351 and B.1.617.2 compared to the prototype B.1 (D614G) variant.The finding of the study demonstrated a reduction in neutralization titers with sera of COVID-19 recovered cases(3.3-fold and 4.6-fold) and BBV152 vaccinees (3. 0 and 2.7 fold) against B.1.351 and B.1.617.2 respectively.Although, there is reduction in neutralization titer, the whole-virion inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BBV152) demonstrates protective response against VOC B.1351 and B.1.617.2.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Neutralization potential of Covishield vaccinated individuals against B.1.617.1

Covishield comprises the larger proportion in the vaccination program in India. Hence, it is of utmost importance to understand neutralizing capability of vaccine against the B.1.617.1 variant which is considered to responsible for surge of the cases in India. The neutralizing-antibody (NAb) titer against B.1.167.1 and prototype B.1 variant (D614G) was determined of the vaccine sera (4 weeks after second dose) of COVID-19 naive subjects (n=43) and COVID-19 recovered subjects (n=18). The results demonstrated that sera of COVID-19 recovered subjects (n=18) who received two doses of Covishield have higher NAb response compared to the COVID-19 naive with a significant difference (p<0.0001) in NAb titer against B.1 and B.1.617.1 In-spite of reduction in the neutralizing titer against B.1.617.1 variant; Covishield vaccine-induced antibodies are likely to be protective to limit the severity and mortality of the disease in the vaccinated individuals.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

Neutralization of variant under investigation B.1.617 with sera of BBV152 vaccinees

The drastic rise in the number of cases in Maharashtra, India has created a matter of concern for public health experts. Twelve isolates of VUI lineage B.1.617 were propagated in VeroCCL81 cells and characterized. Convalescent sera of the COVID-19 cases and recipients of BBV152 (Covaxin) were able to neutralize VUI B.1.617.

immunology↗