SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 infection triggers more cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies than BA.1

Richardson, S.; Motlou, T.; van der Mescht, M.; Lambson, B.; Everatt, J.; Amoako, D.; Van Gottberg, A.; Wolter, N.; de Beer, Z.; Roma de Villiers, T.; Bodenstein, A.; van den Berg, G.; Rossouw, T. M.; Boswell, M.; Ueckermann, V.; Bhiman, J.; Moore, P.

doi:10.1101/2022.07.14.500039

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.07.14.500039

SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 infection triggers more cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies than BA.1

Richardson, S.·Motlou, T.·van der Mescht, M.·Lambson, B.·Everatt, J.·Amoako, D.·Van Gottberg, A.·Wolter, N.·de Beer, Z.·Roma de Villiers, T.·Bodenstein, A.·van den Berg, G.·Rossouw, T. M.·Boswell, M.·Ueckermann, V.·Bhiman, J.·Moore, P.

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Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) differentially trigger neutralizing antibodies with variable cross-neutralizing capacity. Here we show that unlike SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1, which triggered neutralizing antibodies with limited cross-reactivity, BA.4/5 infection triggers highly cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies. Cross-reactivity was observed both in the absence of prior vaccination and also in breakthrough infections following vaccination. This suggests that next-generation vaccines incorporating BA.4, which is spreading globally, might result in enhanced neutralization breadth.

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Richardson, S., Motlou, T., van der Mescht, M., Lambson, B., Everatt, J., Amoako, D., Van Gottberg, A., Wolter, N., de Beer, Z., Roma de Villiers, T., Bodenstein, A., van den Berg, G., Rossouw, T. M., Boswell, M., Ueckermann, V., Bhiman, J., Moore, P.. 2022-07-15. SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 infection triggers more cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies than BA.1. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.14.500039

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