Distinct antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in children and adults across the COVID-19 clinical spectrum
Top Cited Papers
Open Access
- 5 November 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Immunology
- Vol. 22 (1), 25-31
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-020-00826-9
Abstract
Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 are associated with age1,2. Adults develop respiratory symptoms, which can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the most severe form, while children are largely spared from respiratory illness but can develop a life-threatening multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C)3,4,5. Here, we show distinct antibody responses in children and adults after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Adult COVID-19 cohorts had anti-spike (S) IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies, as well as anti-nucleocapsid (N) IgG antibody, while children with and without MIS-C had reduced breadth of anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, predominantly generating IgG antibodies specific for the S protein but not the N protein. Moreover, children with and without MIS-C had reduced neutralizing activity as compared to both adult COVID-19 cohorts, indicating a reduced protective serological response. These results suggest a distinct infection course and immune response in children independent of whether they develop MIS-C, with implications for developing age-targeted strategies for testing and protecting the population.Keywords
Funding Information
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (AI128949, AI100119, AI141686, AI114736, AI121349)
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K08DK122130)
- Canadian health Institute for research (CIHR) fellowship
- Cancer Research Institute (fellowship)
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (AI146980)
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS091263, NS105699)
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