Changes in Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Subclasses over Time and in Association with Disease Severity
Zoia R. Korobova,
Elena V. Zueva,
Natalia A. Arsentieva,
Oleg K. Batsunov,
Natalia E. Liubimova,
Irina V. Khamitova,
Raisa N. Kuznetsova,
Artem A. Rubinstein,
Tikhon V. Savin,
Oksana V. Stanevich,
Alexandr N. Kulikov,
Dmitry E. Pevtsov,
Areg A. Totolian
Affiliations
Zoia R. Korobova
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Elena V. Zueva
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Natalia A. Arsentieva
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Oleg K. Batsunov
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Natalia E. Liubimova
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Irina V. Khamitova
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Raisa N. Kuznetsova
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Artem A. Rubinstein
Department of Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Intensive Care Unit, Pavlov First State Medical University of St. Petersburg, 6-8 Ulitsa L’va Tolstovo, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia
Tikhon V. Savin
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Oksana V. Stanevich
Department of Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Intensive Care Unit, Pavlov First State Medical University of St. Petersburg, 6-8 Ulitsa L’va Tolstovo, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia
Alexandr N. Kulikov
Department of Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Intensive Care Unit, Pavlov First State Medical University of St. Petersburg, 6-8 Ulitsa L’va Tolstovo, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia
Dmitry E. Pevtsov
Department of Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Intensive Care Unit, Pavlov First State Medical University of St. Petersburg, 6-8 Ulitsa L’va Tolstovo, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia
Areg A. Totolian
Saint Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 14 Ulitsa Mira, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
IgG is the most prominent marker of post-COVID-19 immunity. Not only does this subtype mark the late stages of infection, but it also stays in the body for a timespan of at least 6 months. However, different IgG subclasses have different properties, and their roles in specific anti-COVID-19 responses have yet to be determined. We assessed the concentrations of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 against different SARS-CoV-2 antigens (N protein, S protein RBD) using a specifically designed method and samples from 348 COVID-19 patients. We noted a statistically significant association between severity of COVID-19 infection and IgG concentrations (both total and subclasses). When assessing anti-N protein and anti-RBD IgG subclasses, we noted the importance of IgG3 as a subclass. Since it is often associated with early antiviral response, we presumed that the IgG3 subclass is the first high-affinity IgG antibody to be produced during COVID-19 infection.
