Researchers from the United States have discovered a human antibody that is capable of fighting most strains of coronavirus, in particular, all options of concern to the WHO. An article by scientists was published in the journal Immunity.
Many new variants of coronavirus have mutations in the peplomer protein that allow them to avoid recognition and neutralization by human antibodies. Researchers at the University of Washington in St. Louis, together with colleagues from the United States, decided to find out which of the antibodies are most successful against the largest number of SARS-CoV-2 variants. To do this, the scientists obtained 43 antibodies from mice, which were immunized by injecting them with a key region of the peplomer protein – the receptor-binding domain.
The researchers then evaluated how well these bodies prevented the spread of Wuhan SARS-CoV-2, first in a petri dish and then in mice. Scientists selected two of the most powerful neutralizing particles and tested them against new strains of coronavirus – several “unnamed”, two interesting variants according to the WHO classification (“iota” and “kappa”) and all four of concern (“alpha”, “beta” , “Gamma” and “delta”). The SARS2-38 antibody neutralized all variants, even at low concentrations. Its “human” version protected the mouse from the “kappa” strain and the peplomer protein of the “beta” variant.
In addition, the scientists found that SARS2-38 binds to a unique region of the protein that other antibodies do not interact with. This fact, the researchers emphasize, can serve as the basis for the development of a drug based on a combination of antibodies.
