Younger Children Develop Higher Effector Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 Infection

• Published in: Open forum infectious diseases Vol. 9; no. 11; p. ofac554
• Main Authors: Tomasi, Lisa, Thiriard, Anais, Heyndrickx, Leo, Georges, Daphnée, Van den Wijngaert, Sigi, Olislagers, Véronique, Sharma, Shilpee, Matagne, André, Ackerman, Margaret E, Ariën, Kevin K, Goetghebuer, Tessa, Marchant, Arnaud
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 01-11-2022
• Subjects: antibodies; Biochemistry, biophysics & molecular biology; Biochimie, biophysique & biologie moléculaire; children; COVID-19; endemic coronaviruses; Infectious Diseases; Life sciences; Major; Oncology; SARS-CoV-2; Sciences du vivant
• ISSN: 2328-8957; 2328-8957
• DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac554

BackgroundThe basis of the less severe clinical presentation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children as compared with adults remains incompletely understood. Studies have suggested that a more potent boosting of immunity to endemic common cold coronaviruses (HCoVs) may protect children. MethodsTo test this hypothesis, we conducted a detailed analysis of antibodies induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in children aged 2 months to 14 years. ResultsYounger children had higher titers of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD), S1 but not S2 domain, and total spike (S) protein, higher avidity RBD immunoglobulin G, and higher titers of neutralizing and complement-activating antibodies as compared with older children. In contrast, older children had higher titers of antibodies to HCoVs, which correlated with antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 S2 domain but not with neutralizing or complement-activating antibodies. ConclusionsThese results reveal a unique capacity of young children to develop effector antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection independently of their immunity to HCoVs.