Development and characterization of an indirect ELISA to detect SARS-CoV  - 2 spike protein-specific antibodies.

In this study, we developed a SARS-CoV-2 spike (S1) protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. The SARS-CoV-2 S1 ELISA was found to be specific [97.8% (95% CI, 96.7% - 98.5%)], reproducible and precise (intra-assay coefficient of variability (CV) 5.3%, inter-assay CV 7.9%). A standard curve and the interpolation of arbitrary ELISA units per milliliter served to reduce the variability between different tests and operators. Cross-reactivity to other human coronaviruses was addressed by using sera positive for MERS-CoV- and hCoV HKU1-specific antibodies. Monitoring antibody development in various samples of twenty-three and single samples of twenty-nine coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients revealed seroconversion and neutralizing antibodies against authentic SARS-CoV-2 in all cases. The comparison of the SARS-CoV-2 (S1) ELISA with a commercially available assay showed a better sensitivity for the in-house ELISA. The results demonstrate a high reproducibility, specificity and sensitivity of the newly developed ELISA, which is suitable for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein-specific antibody responses.
PMID: 33412174 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Journal of Immunological Methods - January 4, 2021 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Krähling V, Halwe S, Rohde C, Becker D, Berghöfer S, Dahlke C, Eickmann M, Ercanoglu MS, Gieselmann L, Herwig A, Kupke A, Müller H, Neubauer-Rädel P, Klein F, Keller C, Becker S Tags: J Immunol Methods Source Type: research