학술논문
Antigenic Characterization of Circulating and Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants in the U.S. throughout the Delta to Omicron Waves
Document Type
article
Author
Han Di; Elizabeth A. Pusch; Joyce Jones; Nicholas A. Kovacs; Norman Hassell; Mili Sheth; Kelly Sabrina Lynn; Matthew W. Keller; Malania M. Wilson; Lisa M. Keong; Dan Cui; So Hee Park; Reina Chau; Kristine A. Lacek; Jimma D. Liddell; Marie K. Kirby; Genyan Yang; Monique Johnson; Sharmi Thor; Natosha Zanders; Chenchen Feng; Diya Surie; Jennifer DeCuir; Sandra N. Lester; Lydia Atherton; Heather Hicks; Azaibi Tamin; Jennifer L. Harcourt; Melissa M. Coughlin; Wesley H. Self; Jillian P. Rhoads; Kevin W. Gibbs; David N. Hager; Nathan I. Shapiro; Matthew C. Exline; Adam S. Lauring; Benjamin Rambo-Martin; Clinton R. Paden; Rebecca J. Kondor; Justin S. Lee; John R. Barnes; Natalie J. Thornburg; Bin Zhou; David E. Wentworth; Charles Todd Davis
Source
Vaccines, Vol 12, Iss 5, p 505 (2024)
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
2076-393X
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has evolved into numerous lineages with unique spike mutations and caused multiple epidemics domestically and globally. Although COVID-19 vaccines are available, new variants with the capacity for immune evasion continue to emerge. To understand and characterize the evolution of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiated the National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance (NS3) program and has received thousands of SARS-CoV-2 clinical specimens from across the nation as part of a genotype to phenotype characterization process. Focus reduction neutralization with various antisera was used to antigenically characterize 143 SARS-CoV-2 Delta, Mu and Omicron subvariants from selected clinical specimens received between May 2021 and February 2023, representing a total of 59 unique spike protein sequences. BA.4/5 subvariants BU.1, BQ.1.1, CR.1.1, CQ.2 and BA.4/5 + D420N + K444T; BA.2.75 subvariants BM.4.1.1, BA.2.75.2, CV.1; and recombinant Omicron variants XBF, XBB.1, XBB.1.5 showed the greatest escape from neutralizing antibodies when analyzed against post third-dose original monovalent vaccinee sera. Post fourth-dose bivalent vaccinee sera provided better protection against those subvariants, but substantial reductions in neutralization titers were still observed, especially among BA.4/5 subvariants with both an N-terminal domain (NTD) deletion and receptor binding domain (RBD) substitutions K444M + N460K and recombinant Omicron variants. This analysis demonstrated a framework for long-term systematic genotype to antigenic characterization of circulating and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in the U.S., which is critical to assessing their potential impact on the effectiveness of current vaccines and antigen recommendations for future updates.