A cell-based system combined with flow cytometry to evaluate antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 transmembrane proteins in patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Summary: This protocol describes a flow cytometry approach to evaluate antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 transmembrane proteins in COVID-19-positive patient sera samples without the need of specific laboratory facilities for viral infection. We developed a human-cell-based system using spike-expressing HEK293T cells that mimics membrane insertion and N-glycosylation of viral integral membrane proteins in host cells. This assay represents a powerful tool to test antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccine effectiveness.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Martin et al. (2021).

Keywords

• Cell Biology
• Flow Cytometry/Mass Cytometry
• Cell-based Assays
• Health Sciences
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology