Comirnaty-Elicited and Convalescent Sera Recognize Different Spike Epitopes

Vaccines, vol. 9, pp. 1419

Abstract

Many of the approved SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are based on a stabilized variant of the spike protein. This raises the question of whether the immune response against the stabilized spike is identical to the immune response that is elicited by the native spike in the case of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using a peptide array-based approach, we analysed the binding of antibodies from Comirnaty-elicited, convalescent, and control sera to the peptides covering the spike protein. A total of 37 linear epitopes were identified. A total of 26 of these epitopes were almost exclusively recognized by the convalescent sera. Mapping these epitopes to the spike structures revealed that most of these 26 epitopes are masked in the pre-fusion structure. In particular, in the conserved central helix, three epitopes that are only exposed in the post-fusion conformation were identified. This indicates a higher spike-specific antibody diversity in convalescent sera. These differences could be relevant for the breadth of spike-specific immune response.

Authors 9

1. Sascha Hein corresponding

   Paul Ehrlich Institut

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Street 51–59, D-63225 Langen, Germany

2. Nuka Ivalu Benz

   Paul Ehrlich Institut

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Street 51–59, D-63225 Langen, Germany

3. Jonathan Eisert

   Paul Ehrlich Institut

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Street 51–59, D-63225 Langen, Germany

4. Marie‐Luise Herrlein

   Paul Ehrlich Institut

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Street 51–59, D-63225 Langen, Germany

5. Doris Oberle

   Paul Ehrlich Institut

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Pharmacovigilance, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Street 51–59, D-63325 Langen, Germany

6. Michael Dreher Aachen Department of Pneumology and Intensive Care Medicine

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Pneumology and Intensive Care Medicine, RWTH Aachen University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany

7. Julia Stingl Aachen Institute of Clinical Pharmacology

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany

8. Christoph Hildt
   Affiliation as printed

   Main-Kinzig-Kliniken, Herzbachweg 14, D-63571 Gelnhausen, Germany

9. Eberhard Hildt corresponding

   Paul Ehrlich Institut

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Street 51–59, D-63225 Langen, Germany