Omicron variants escape the persistent SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody response in 2-year COVID-19 convalescents regardless of vaccination

• Published in: Emerging microbes & infections Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 2151381
• Main Authors: Wang, Miao, Zhou, Bing, Fan, Qing, Zhou, Xinrong, Liao, Xuejiao, Lin, Jingyan, Ma, Zhenghua, Dong, Jingke, Wang, Haiyan, Ge, Xiangyang, Ju, Bin, Zhang, Zheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.12.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: 2 years after discharge; Antibodies; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Antibody Formation; antibody response; Coronaviruses; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 convalescent; COVID-19 vaccines; Humans; inactivated vaccines; Omicron variants; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Vaccination; 2 years after discharge; SARS-CoV-2; inactivated vaccines; antibody response; Omicron variants; COVID-19 convalescent
• ISSN: 2222-1751; 2222-1751
• DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2151381

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of various SARS-CoV-2 variants, a comprehensive evaluation of long-term efficacy of antibody response in convalescent individuals is urgently needed. Several longitudinal studies had reported the antibody dynamics after SARS-CoV-2 acute infection, but the follow-up was mostly limited to 1 year or 18 months at the maximum. In this study, we investigated the durability, potency, and susceptibility to immune evasion of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody in COVID-19 convalescents for 2 years after discharge. These results showed the persistent antibody-dependent immunity could protect against the WT and Delta variant to some extent. However, the Omicron variants (BA.1, BA.2, and BA.4/5) largely escaped this preexisting immunity in recovered individuals. Furthermore, we revealed that inactivated vaccines (BBIBP-CorV, CoronaVac, or KCONVAC) could improve the plasma neutralization and help to maintain the broadly neutralizing antibodies at a certain level. Notably, with the time-dependent decline of antibody, 1-dose or 2-dose vaccination strategy seemed not to be enough to provide immune protection against the emerging variants. Overall, these results facilitated our understanding of SARS-CoV-2-induced antibody memory, contributing to the development of immunization strategy against SARS-CoV-2 variants for such a large number of COVID-19 survivors.