Humoral Immune Responses in SARS-CoV-2 Infections
Summary
SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits a complex humoral response in which B cells differentiate into antibody-secreting plasma cells and into memory B cells for long-term protection. Antibodies neutralise the virus by blocking spike–ACE2 interactions and mediate Fc-dependent functions such as phagocytosis and cytotoxicity. Durability of serum titres varies by isotype and vaccine platform, influencing booster strategies and cross-variant immunity.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies of adenoviral vector vaccination show that the quality of antibody binding to distinct Fcγ receptors influences breakthrough susceptibility: individuals with antibodies preferentially engaging FcγR3B experienced enhanced immune complex clearance and reduced inflammation, whereas alternative FcγR2B-binding profiles correlated with increased risk of symptomatic infection.
Comparative systems serology of inactivated and mRNA vaccines reveals distinct kinetics and magnitudes of Fc-mediated antibody functions. Inactivated platforms generate slower-waning effector profiles, but mRNA boosters elicit higher peak phagocytic and cytotoxic responses and broaden activity against variants, underscoring the role of heterologous boosting in maintaining functional humoral breadth.
Longitudinal analysis of convalescent cohorts indicates that spike-specific IgG and neutralisation titres decline over the first four months post-infection, but spike-specific IgG+ memory B cells accumulate steadily. This divergent kinetics suggests that declining antibodies may be offset by a durable memory pool capable of rapid reactivation upon re-exposure.
Humoral Immune Responses in SARS-CoV-2 Infections publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in humoral immune responses in sars-cov-2 infections across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Humoral immunity: Immune protection mediated by antibodies produced by B cells, targeting extracellular pathogens and their toxins.
Neutralising antibody: A subclass of antibodies that block viral entry by binding surface proteins and preventing receptor engagement.
Fc-effector function: Antibody-mediated recruitment of immune cells via the Fc region, enabling processes such as phagocytosis, cytotoxicity and complement activation.
Memory B cell: Long-lived B lymphocyte retaining antigen experience, capable of rapid antibody production upon re-exposure.
Immunoglobulin subclass: Variants of antibody classes (e.g. IgG1, IgG3, IgG4) differing in structure, effector function and inflammatory potential.
Receptor-binding domain: Region of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein responsible for engaging the host ACE2 receptor and initiating viral entry.
References
- ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine-induced Fc receptor binding tracks with differential susceptibility to COVID-19. Nature Immunology (2023).
- Waning and boosting of antibody Fc-effector functions upon SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Nature Communications (2023).
- Immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for up to 8 months after infection. Science (2021).
- Class switch towards non-inflammatory, spike-specific IgG4 antibodies after repeated SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. Science Immunology (2023).
- Hybrid immunity expands the functional humoral footprint of both mRNA and vector-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Cell Reports Medicine (2023).
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