SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein-specific antibodies from critically ill SARS-CoV-2–infected individuals interact with Fc receptor–expressing cells but do not neutralize the virus

The membrane (M) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the key viral proteins regulating virion assembly and morphogenesis. Immunologically, the M protein is a major source of peptide antigens driving T cell responses, and most individuals who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 make antibodies to the...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Fernández-Soto, Daniel, Bueno, P., Garaigorta, Urtzi, Gastaminza, Pablo, Bueno, José L., Duarte, Rafael F., Jara, Ricardo, Valés-Gómez, Mar, Reyburn, H. T.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/350460
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/350460
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Antibodies
COVID-19 disease
Natural killer cells
SARS-CoV-2 infection
Descripción
Sumario:The membrane (M) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the key viral proteins regulating virion assembly and morphogenesis. Immunologically, the M protein is a major source of peptide antigens driving T cell responses, and most individuals who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 make antibodies to the N-terminal, surface-exposed peptide of the M protein. We now report that although the M protein is abundant in the viral particle, antibodies to the surface-exposed N-terminal epitope of M do not appear to neutralize the virus. M protein–specific antibodies do, however, activate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion by primary human natural killer cells. Interestingly, while patients with severe or mild disease make comparable levels of M antigen–binding antibodies, M-specific antibodies from the serum of critically ill patients are significantly more potent activators of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity than antibodies found in individuals with mild or asymptomatic infection.