Scientific Reports (Dec 2021)

The potential of COVID-19 patients’ sera to cause antibody-dependent enhancement of infection and IL-6 production

  • Jun Shimizu,
  • Tadahiro Sasaki,
  • Atsushi Yamanaka,
  • Yoko Ichihara,
  • Ritsuko Koketsu,
  • Yoshihiro Samune,
  • Pedro Cruz,
  • Kei Sato,
  • Naomi Tanga,
  • Yuka Yoshimura,
  • Ami Murakami,
  • Misuzu Yamada,
  • Kiyoe Itoi,
  • Emi E. Nakayama,
  • Kazuo Miyazaki,
  • Tatsuo Shioda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03273-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), many vaccine trials have been initiated. An important goal of vaccination is the development of neutralizing antibody (Ab) against SARS-CoV-2. However, the possible induction of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection, which is known for other coronaviruses and dengue virus infections, is a particular concern in vaccine development. Here, we demonstrated that human iPS cell-derived, immortalized, and ACE2- and TMPRSS2-expressing myeloid cell lines are useful as host cells for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The established cell lines were cloned and screened based on their function in terms of susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2-infection or IL-6 productivity. Using the resulting K-ML2 (AT) clone 35 for SARS-CoV-2-infection or its subclone 35–40 for IL-6 productivity, it was possible to evaluate the potential of sera from severe COVID-19 patients to cause ADE and to stimulate IL-6 production upon infection with SARS-CoV-2.