Abstract
The emergence and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants may affect vaccine efficacy substantially. The Omicron variant termed BA.2, which differs substantially from BA.1 based on genetic sequence, is currently replacing BA.1 in several countries, but its antigenic characteristics have not yet been assessed. Here, we used antigenic cartography to quantify and visualize antigenic differences between early SARS-CoV-2 variants (614G, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Zeta, Delta, and Mu) using hamster antisera obtained after primary infection. We first verified that the choice of the cell line for the neutralization assay did not affect the topology of the map substantially. Antigenic maps generated using pseudo-typed SARS-CoV-2 on the widely used VeroE6 cell line and the human airway cell line Calu-3 generated similar maps. Maps made using authentic SARS-CoV-2 on Calu-3 cells also closely resembled those generated with pseudo-typed viruses. The antigenic maps revealed a central cluster of SARS-CoV-2 variants, which grouped on the basis of mutual spike mutations. Whereas these early variants are antigenically similar, clustering relatively close to each other in antigenic space, Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 have evolved as two distinct antigenic outliers. Our data show that BA.1 and BA.2 both escape vaccine-induced antibody responses as a result of different antigenic characteristics. Thus, antigenic cartography could be used to assess antigenic properties of future SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern that emerge and to decide on the composition of novel spike-based (booster) vaccines.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | eabq4450 |
| Pages (from-to) | eabq4450 |
| Journal | Science immunology |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 75 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Sept 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The present manuscript was part of the research program of the Netherlands Centre for One Health. We thank I. Krishnadath, P. Pinas, E. Yzerman, L. Woittiez, S. Vreden (all at the Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Suriname), R. Banwari, R. Ori (both at the Central Laboratory, Bureau of Public Health, Suriname), and E. Munger (Erasmus Medical Center) for providing the SARS-CoV-2 Zeta variant. This work was financially supported by the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZONMW) grant agreement 10150062010008 to B.L.H., the Health~Holland grants EMCLHS20017 to R.D.d.V., and LSHM19136 to B.L.H cofunded by the PPP Allowance made available by the Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, to stimulate public-private partnerships, and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant no. 101003589 (RECoVER: to M.P.G.K.) and EU funding grant agreement number 874735(VEO). B.L.H., R.A.M.F., B.R., D.J.S., and M.P.G.K. are supported by the NIH/NIAID Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR) under contract 75N93021C00014-Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai.
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Copyright © 2022 The Authors.
