Extensive neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 variants elicited by Omicron-specific subunit vaccine as a heterologous booster

• Published in: iScience Vol. 25; no. 11; p. 105465
• Main Authors: Peng, Pai, Feng, Chengqian, Hu, Jie, He, Changlong, Deng, Haijun, Fan, Qinghong, Xiang, Jin, Tang, Guofang, Jiang, Meng-ling, Hu, Fengyu, Li, Feng, Wang, Kai, Tang, Ni, Tang, Xiao-ping, Huang, Ailong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 18-11-2022; The Author(s); Elsevier
• Subjects: Virology; Virology
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105465

To overcome the increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection or post-vaccination infection caused by the Omicron variant, Omicron-specific vaccines were considered a potential strategy. We reported the increased magnitude and breadth of antibody response against VOCs elicited by post-vaccination Delta and Omicron infection, compared to WT infection without vaccination. Then, in mouse models, three doses of Omicron-RBD immunization elicited comparable neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers with three doses of WT-RBD immunization, but the neutralizing activity was not cross-active. By contrast, a heterologous Omicron-RBD booster following two doses of WT-RBD immunization increased the NAb titers against Omicron by 9-folds than the homologous WT-RBD booster. Moreover, it retains neutralization against both WT and current VOCs. Results suggest that Omicron-specific subunit booster shows its advantages in the immune protection from both WT and current VOCs and that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines including two or more virus lineages might improve the NAb response.
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•Post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection can elicit higher and boarder immune response•A heterologous booster with the Omicron-RBD protein elicits a 9-fold increased NAb•Heterologous boosting with Omicron enhance the potency and breadth of immune response
Virology