TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of a multi-species SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization test
AU - Embregts, Carmen W.E.
AU - Verstrepen, Babs
AU - Langermans, Jan A.M.
AU - Böszörményi, Kinga P.
AU - Sikkema, Reina S.
AU - de Vries, Rory D.
AU - Hoffmann, Donata
AU - Wernike, Kerstin
AU - Smit, Lidwien A.M.
AU - Zhao, Shan
AU - Rockx, Barry
AU - Koopmans, Marion P.G.
AU - Haagmans, Bart L.
AU - Kuiken, Thijs
AU - GeurtsvanKessel, Corine H.
N1 - Acknowledgments:
The authors acknowledge Anouskha Comvalius, Djenolan van Mourik, Jeroen Ijpelaar and Georgina Aron for performing the PRNT50, and Susanne Bogers for the sVNT testing. Robert Jan Molenaar is acknowledged for supplying the mink sera that was included in this study. [Table presented] [Table presented]
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Assays to measure SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies are important to monitor seroprevalence, to study asymptomatic infections and to reveal (intermediate) hosts. A recently developed assay, the surrogate virus-neutralization test (sVNT) is a quick and commercially available alternative to the “gold standard” virus neutralization assay using authentic virus, and does not require processing at BSL-3 level. The assay relies on the inhibition of binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the spike (S) protein to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) by antibodies present in sera. As the sVNT does not require species- or isotype-specific conjugates, it can be similarly used for antibody detection in human and animal sera. In this study, we used 298 sera from PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients and 151 sera from patients confirmed with other coronavirus or other (respiratory) infections, to evaluate the performance of the sVNT. To analyze the use of the assay in a One Health setting, we studied the presence of RBD-binding antibodies in 154 sera from nine animal species (cynomolgus and rhesus macaques, ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, cats, cattle, mink and dromedary camels). The sVNT showed a moderate to high sensitivity and a high specificity using sera from confirmed COVID-19 patients (91.3% and 100%, respectively) and animal sera (93.9% and 100%), however it lacked sensitivity to detect low titers. Significant correlations were found between the sVNT outcomes and PRNT50 and the Wantai total Ig and IgM ELISAs. While species-specific validation will be essential, our results show that the sVNT holds promise in detecting RBD-binding antibodies in multiple species.
AB - Assays to measure SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies are important to monitor seroprevalence, to study asymptomatic infections and to reveal (intermediate) hosts. A recently developed assay, the surrogate virus-neutralization test (sVNT) is a quick and commercially available alternative to the “gold standard” virus neutralization assay using authentic virus, and does not require processing at BSL-3 level. The assay relies on the inhibition of binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the spike (S) protein to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) by antibodies present in sera. As the sVNT does not require species- or isotype-specific conjugates, it can be similarly used for antibody detection in human and animal sera. In this study, we used 298 sera from PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients and 151 sera from patients confirmed with other coronavirus or other (respiratory) infections, to evaluate the performance of the sVNT. To analyze the use of the assay in a One Health setting, we studied the presence of RBD-binding antibodies in 154 sera from nine animal species (cynomolgus and rhesus macaques, ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, cats, cattle, mink and dromedary camels). The sVNT showed a moderate to high sensitivity and a high specificity using sera from confirmed COVID-19 patients (91.3% and 100%, respectively) and animal sera (93.9% and 100%), however it lacked sensitivity to detect low titers. Significant correlations were found between the sVNT outcomes and PRNT50 and the Wantai total Ig and IgM ELISAs. While species-specific validation will be essential, our results show that the sVNT holds promise in detecting RBD-binding antibodies in multiple species.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85115427855&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100313
DO - 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100313
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85115427855
SN - 2352-7714
VL - 13
JO - One Health
JF - One Health
M1 - 100313
ER -
