SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamics
Abstract Background Defining the kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses is critical for informing the management of reinfections, vaccinations, and therapeutics of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods Using four antibody assays, we evaluated antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Communications Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00828-4 |
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| author | Nadia Siles Alvarado Maisey Schuler Cole Maguire Dzifa A. Amengor Annalee W. Nguyen Rebecca E. Wilen Jacob Rogers Sam Bazzi Blaine Caslin Christopher DiPasquale Melissa Abigania Eric Olson Janelle Creaturo Kerin Hurley Todd A. Triplett Justin F. Rousseau Stephen M. Strakowski Dennis Wylie Jennifer A. Maynard Lauren I. R. Ehrlich Esther Melamed |
| author_facet | Nadia Siles Alvarado Maisey Schuler Cole Maguire Dzifa A. Amengor Annalee W. Nguyen Rebecca E. Wilen Jacob Rogers Sam Bazzi Blaine Caslin Christopher DiPasquale Melissa Abigania Eric Olson Janelle Creaturo Kerin Hurley Todd A. Triplett Justin F. Rousseau Stephen M. Strakowski Dennis Wylie Jennifer A. Maynard Lauren I. R. Ehrlich Esther Melamed |
| author_sort | Nadia Siles Alvarado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Defining the kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses is critical for informing the management of reinfections, vaccinations, and therapeutics of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods Using four antibody assays, we evaluated antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), and receptor binding domain (RBD) in 98 convalescent participants with varying COVID-19 disease severities (asymptomatic, mild, moderate or severe) at 1, 3, 6, and 12-months post-SARS-CoV-2-positive PCR and in 17 non-vaccinated, non-infected controls. Results Increasing acute COVID-19 disease severity correlates with higher anti-N and anti-RBD titers throughout 12 months post-infection. Anti-N and anti-RBD titers decline over time in all participants, except for increased anti-RBD titers post-vaccination, with hospitalized participants exhibiting faster decay rates. Less than 50% of participants retain anti-N titers above controls at 12 months, with non-hospitalized participants falling below controls sooner. Nearly all participants maintain anti-RBD titers above controls for 12 months, suggesting long-term protection against severe reinfections. Nonetheless, by 6 months, few participants retain >50% of their initial 1-month anti-N or anti-RBD titers. Notably, vaccine-induced anti-RBD titers are higher in non-hospitalized participants. Lastly, early convalescent titers correlate with age but not with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) status or steroid use. Conclusion Hospitalized participants initially develop higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers that decline faster relative to non-hospitalized participants. While anti-N titers fall below control levels in some participants, anti-RBD titers remain above controls over 12 months, demonstrating long-lived antibody responses known to protect against severe disease. These findings advance our understanding of COVID-19 antibody dynamics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-02db8d5a39df4fc6b5c262fdd8925b2f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2730-664X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Communications Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-02db8d5a39df4fc6b5c262fdd8925b2f2025-08-20T03:52:19ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Medicine2730-664X2025-05-015111310.1038/s43856-025-00828-4SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamicsNadia Siles Alvarado0Maisey Schuler1Cole Maguire2Dzifa A. Amengor3Annalee W. Nguyen4Rebecca E. Wilen5Jacob Rogers6Sam Bazzi7Blaine Caslin8Christopher DiPasquale9Melissa Abigania10Eric Olson11Janelle Creaturo12Kerin Hurley13Todd A. Triplett14Justin F. Rousseau15Stephen M. Strakowski16Dennis Wylie17Jennifer A. Maynard18Lauren I. R. Ehrlich19Esther Melamed20Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinBabson DiagnosticsBabson DiagnosticsBabson DiagnosticsDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Population Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of MedicineCenter for Biomedical Research Support, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at AustinAbstract Background Defining the kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses is critical for informing the management of reinfections, vaccinations, and therapeutics of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods Using four antibody assays, we evaluated antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), and receptor binding domain (RBD) in 98 convalescent participants with varying COVID-19 disease severities (asymptomatic, mild, moderate or severe) at 1, 3, 6, and 12-months post-SARS-CoV-2-positive PCR and in 17 non-vaccinated, non-infected controls. Results Increasing acute COVID-19 disease severity correlates with higher anti-N and anti-RBD titers throughout 12 months post-infection. Anti-N and anti-RBD titers decline over time in all participants, except for increased anti-RBD titers post-vaccination, with hospitalized participants exhibiting faster decay rates. Less than 50% of participants retain anti-N titers above controls at 12 months, with non-hospitalized participants falling below controls sooner. Nearly all participants maintain anti-RBD titers above controls for 12 months, suggesting long-term protection against severe reinfections. Nonetheless, by 6 months, few participants retain >50% of their initial 1-month anti-N or anti-RBD titers. Notably, vaccine-induced anti-RBD titers are higher in non-hospitalized participants. Lastly, early convalescent titers correlate with age but not with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) status or steroid use. Conclusion Hospitalized participants initially develop higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers that decline faster relative to non-hospitalized participants. While anti-N titers fall below control levels in some participants, anti-RBD titers remain above controls over 12 months, demonstrating long-lived antibody responses known to protect against severe disease. These findings advance our understanding of COVID-19 antibody dynamics.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00828-4 |
| spellingShingle | Nadia Siles Alvarado Maisey Schuler Cole Maguire Dzifa A. Amengor Annalee W. Nguyen Rebecca E. Wilen Jacob Rogers Sam Bazzi Blaine Caslin Christopher DiPasquale Melissa Abigania Eric Olson Janelle Creaturo Kerin Hurley Todd A. Triplett Justin F. Rousseau Stephen M. Strakowski Dennis Wylie Jennifer A. Maynard Lauren I. R. Ehrlich Esther Melamed SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamics Communications Medicine |
| title | SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamics |
| title_full | SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamics |
| title_fullStr | SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamics |
| title_short | SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity-dependent antibody dynamics |
| title_sort | sars cov 2 humoral immune responses in convalescent individuals over 12 months reveal severity dependent antibody dynamics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00828-4 |
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