Frontiers in Immunology (Mar 2021)

A Rapid and Efficient Screening System for Neutralizing Antibodies and Its Application for SARS-CoV-2

  • Xiaojian Han,
  • Xiaojian Han,
  • Yingming Wang,
  • Yingming Wang,
  • Shenglong Li,
  • Shenglong Li,
  • Chao Hu,
  • Chao Hu,
  • Tingting Li,
  • Tingting Li,
  • Chenjian Gu,
  • Kai Wang,
  • Meiying Shen,
  • Jianwei Wang,
  • Jianwei Wang,
  • Jie Hu,
  • Ruixin Wu,
  • Ruixin Wu,
  • Song Mu,
  • Song Mu,
  • Fang Gong,
  • Qian Chen,
  • Qian Chen,
  • Fengxia Gao,
  • Fengxia Gao,
  • Jingjing Huang,
  • Jingjing Huang,
  • Yingyi Long,
  • Yingyi Long,
  • Feiyang Luo,
  • Feiyang Luo,
  • Shuyi Song,
  • Shuyi Song,
  • Shunhua Long,
  • Shunhua Long,
  • Yanan Hao,
  • Yanan Hao,
  • Luo Li,
  • Luo Li,
  • Yang Wu,
  • Wei Xu,
  • Xia Cai,
  • Qingzhu Gao,
  • Guiji Zhang,
  • Changlong He,
  • Kun Deng,
  • Li Du,
  • Li Du,
  • Yaru Nai,
  • Yaru Nai,
  • Wang Wang,
  • Wang Wang,
  • Youhua Xie,
  • Di Qu,
  • Ailong Huang,
  • Ni Tang,
  • Aishun Jin,
  • Aishun Jin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.653189
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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After the pandemic of COVID-19, neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 have been developed for the prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. However, few methodologies are described in detail on how to rapidly and efficiently generate effective NAbs to SARS-CoV-2. Here, we integrated and optimized a strategically screening method for NAbs, which has enabled us to obtain SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) specific NAbs within 6 days, followed by additional 9 days for antibody production and function analysis. Using this method, we obtained 198 specific Abs against SARS-CoV-2 RBD from the blood samples of COVID-19 convalescent patients, and 96 of them showed neutralizing activity. At least 20% of these NAbs exhibited advanced neutralizing potency and high affinity, with the top two NAbs showing half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) to block authentic SARS-CoV-2 at 9.88 and 11.13 ng/ml, respectively. Altogether, our study provides an effective methodology with high applicable value for discovering potential preventative and therapeutic NAbs for the emerging infectious diseases.

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