March 29, 2024

Immunity to COVID-19: Spike Protein Docking Site Is Achilles’ Heel of the Coronavirus

A year ago, a research team led by study directors Rudolf Valenta and Winfried F. Pickl from MedUni Viennas Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology investigated the immune status of a preliminary cohort of clients who had recuperated from a moderate course of COVID-19. Among the findings at the time was that a considerable proportion of infected patients were unable to form protective antibodies versus SARS-CoV-2.

In the just recently released follow-up research study, Valenta and his group examined the antibody reaction of a larger friend following moderate and extreme SARS-CoV-2 infection. The research study utilized microarray (chip) technology developed at MedUni Vienna, in which a great deal of viral antigens are applied to a tiny chip by a robotic identifying device. In addition, overlapping protein pieces (peptides) of these viral antigens were repaired to onto the chip, covering the entire spike protein on which the receptor binding domain (RBD) is situated. This is the domain with which the SARS-CoV-2 infection binds to the ACE2 receptor of human cells.
The researchers expected to see an immune action to the peptides, but antibodies were solely formed versus the undamaged, three-dimensionally folded spike protein. Proteins acquire their three-dimensional shape through the physically caused procedure of protein folding. It now appears that the SARS-CoV-2 virus needs the three-dimensionally folded protein to dock onto the bodys cells. Only an antibody response versus the folded protein, but not versus parts of it, secures against infection.
This leads to one major conclusion: high antibody levels versus the folded spike protein, and specifically versus the RBD it consists of, avoid the virus from binding to human cells. Nevertheless, if someone is not able to form antibodies versus the folded RBD, the person will not be well secured. The scientists also showed that just the folded RBD, however not unfolded RBD, produces immune protection upon immunization. Because the hereditary vaccines presently in use mimic infection, it is possible that vaccination advancements can might be discussed by the failure to establish antibodies versus folded RBD.
In summary, it can therefore be concluded that individuals who sufficiently form antibodies against folded RBD are secured against SARS-CoV-2 infections. These antibodies are easily quantifiable in the blood with neutralization tests. 20% of those who have actually recuperated from Covid-19– and most likely those who have been immunized– stop working to produce these antibodies.
Reference: “Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 needs antibodies versus conformational receptor-binding domain epitopes” by Pia Gattinger, Katarzyna Niespodziana, Karin Stiasny, Sabina Sahanic, Inna Tulaeva, Kristina Borochova, Yulia Dorofeeva, Thomas Schlederer, Thomas Sonnweber, Gerhard Hofer, Renata Kiss, Bernhard Kratzer, Doris Trapin, Peter A. Tauber, Arno Rottal, Ulrike Körmöczi, Melanie Feichter, Milena Weber, Margarete Focke-Tejkl, Judith Löffler-Ragg, Bernhard Mühl, Anna Kropfmüller, Walter Keller, Frank Stolz, Rainer Henning, Ivan Tancevski, Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl, Winfried F. Pickl and Rudolf Valenta, 28 August 2021, Allergy.DOI: 10.1111/ all.15066.

Around 20% of those who have recovered from Covid-19 fail to develop immune security against SARS-CoV-2, according to a MedUni Vienna research team led by allergologist and immunologist Rudolf Valenta from the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology. Their study discovered that the vital immune defense that avoids the infection from docking and invasion of the bodys cells just occurs when an individual is able to form particular antibodies versus the folded receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. This docking site does not change considerably in with anomalies of the infection. Some people are not able to do this so for various factors. An antigen-based vaccine targeting RBD might provide an option, but such a vaccine is not yet readily available. The study was published in the leading journal Allergy.

Their research study discovered that the important immune protection that prevents the infection from docking and intrusion of the bodys cells just occurs when a person is able to form specific antibodies against the folded receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. If somebody is not able to form antibodies versus the folded RBD, the person will not be well secured. The scientists likewise showed that just the folded RBD, but not unfolded RBD, generates immune security upon immunization. Considering that the genetic vaccines currently in usage imitate infection, it is possible that vaccination developments can may be described by the failure to establish antibodies versus folded RBD.
In summary, it can for that reason be concluded that people who sufficiently form antibodies against folded RBD are protected against SARS-CoV-2 infections.