A high-throughput, fully automated competition assay to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing responses and epitope specificity in clinical samples

A high-throughput, fully automated competition assay to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing responses and epitope specificity in clinical samples

Abstract Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) remains a critical global health concern. We developed a fully automated, high-throughput competition immunoassay to elucidate how epitope recognition on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike receptor-binding domain (RBD)...

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Main Authors: Yusuke Atarashi, Jeeeun Kim, Yasuhiro Irino, Masayuki Amano, Kiyoto Tsuchiya, Kenji Maeda, Mari Terada, Noriko Iwamoto, Shinya Shimada, Hiroaki Mitsuya, Masatoshi Yanagida, Yuki Takamatsu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
SARS-CoV-2
High throughput testing
Antibody test
Neutralizing activity
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94317-2
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Summary:Abstract Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) remains a critical global health concern. We developed a fully automated, high-throughput competition immunoassay to elucidate how epitope recognition on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) correlates with neutralizing activity. Analysis of clinical samples from both SARS-CoV-2-infected and vaccinated individuals revealed that vaccination elicits significantly higher antibody titers across multiple S1 subunit epitopes compared to natural infection. Notably, median antibody levels against the receptor-binding motif (RBM) exceeded 50% in both cohorts, highlighting the RBM as a key target for antibody induction irrespective of immune origin. Furthermore, the strongest correlation with neutralizing activity was observed for antibodies directed against the broader S1 subunit, indicating that epitopes outside the RBM also contribute to neutralization. These findings underscore the importance of both RBM- and non-RBM-directed antibodies in effective immune defense against SARS-CoV-2. Our assay enables large-scale, reliable quantification of neutralizing antibodies and provides critical insights for developing improved diagnostic antigens and vaccine strategies aimed at eliciting robust, multi-epitope immune responses.
ISSN:2045-2322

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