Inactivated whole virion vaccine protects K18-hACE2 Tg mice against the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant via cross-reactive T cells and nonneutralizing antibody responses

Eur J Immunol. 2023 Dec 13:e2350664. doi: 10.1002/eji.202350664. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCOVID-19 is a systemic inflammatory disease initiated by SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. Multiple vaccines against the Wuhan variant of SARS-CoV-2 have been developed including a whole virion beta-propiolactone-inactivated vaccine based on the B.1.1 strain (CoviVac). Since most of the population has been vaccinated by targeting the original or early variants of SARS-CoV-2, the emergence of novel mutant variants raises concern over possible evasion of vaccine-induced immune responses. Here, we report on the mechanism of protection by CoviVac, a whole virion-based vaccine, against the Omicron variant. CoviVac-immunized K18-hACE2 Tg mice were protected against both prototype B.1.1 and BA.1-like (Omicron) variants. Subsequently, vaccinated K18-hACE2 Tg mice rapidly cleared the infection via cross-reactive T-cell responses and cross-reactive, non-neutralizing antibodies recognizing the Omicron variant Spike protein. Thus, our data indicate that efficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 variants can be achieved by the orchestrated action of cross-reactive T cells and non-neutralizing antibodies.PMID:38088236 | DOI:10.1002/eji.202350664

Source: Seminars in Immunology - December 13, 2023 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Andrey A Kruglov Marina A Bondareva Violetta S Gogoleva Iaroslav K Semin Irina V Astrakhantseva Ruslan Zvartsev Aleksandr S Lunin Vasiliy D Apolokhov Elena Yu Shustova Viktor P Volok Aleksey A Ustyugov Aydar A Ishmukhametov Sergei A Nedospasov Liubov I Ko Source Type: research