5 ms·

Multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants escape neutralization by vaccine-induced immunity

45 points by jandom 6y ago

jandom 6y ago
The article has already been peer-reviewed and published in the "Cell" journal https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867421002981 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009286742...
disillusioned 6y ago
Once again, this study looks exclusively at the neutralizing effects of the antibodies in sera, and is unable to account for t-cells: >>>One important aspect of immunity not addressed by our work is cellular immunity contributed by cytotoxic lymphocytes, including T and NK cells. Even in the absence of neutralizing humoral immunity, previous studies have suggested that cellular immunity can mitigate severe or prolonged infection (Le Bert et al. 2020). In convalescent individuals, T-cell immunity would not be restricted to spike-derived epitopes, but also from other more abundant proteins such as nucleocapsid. As such, it would be reasonable to assume that T-cell-mediated immunity elicited by infection would remain largely intact for circulating variants including B.1.351. Indeed, although recent studies by Johnson & Johnson have demonstrated reduced overall efficacy in South Africa, there was substantially more protection against severe or fatal disease than for mild-to-moderate disease (Herper et al. 2021). However, with the exception of killed whole virus vaccines, all currently available vaccine designs only provide spike protein as the target immunogen, thus limiting T-cell immunity to spike epitopes. Notwithstanding, one recent study has demonstrated that mutations in spike epitopes do not impair T-cell responses despite escaping neutralizing antibodies (Skelly et al. 2021). So... the jury is still out on if the vaccines generate a significant enough t-cell response to engender protection against a variant that may be able to elude the antibodies the vaccine confers, though it appears that the t-cell response is still durable from naturally infected individuals.
- jandom 6y ago
  Isn't that being a little optimistic? After all if this was good news, it wouldn't be news :-) Fully appreciating the point: antibody response is not the only response of the immune system. The other story on HN right now is "AstraZeneca vaccine doesn't prevent B1351 Covid in early trial" – a finding consistent with the results of this study (yes, yes, AZ vaccine != Pfizer/Moderna). https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/03/astrazeneca-vaccine-doesnt-prevent-b1351-covid-early-trial https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/03/astrazen... So what becomes interesting is: does the AZ vaccine not produce the same T-cell response as Pfizer/Moderna, or are these vaccines in fact broadly similar (mutants don't affect T-cells but affect antibodies). The latter wouldn't be consistent with Skelly 2021.
plutonorm 6y ago
Cold virus escapes immune system by evolving to escape immune response! I am shocked. Shocked to hear that a Coronavirus, one of the viruses we refer to as the common cold has the ability to evolve it's way around a vaccine! /S We are going to need a new vaccine every year.
- o_p 6y ago
  >We are going to need a new vaccine every year. Sounds like a great business plan. Vaccines As a Service
- pjmlp 6y ago
  Just like the flu.
- croes 6y ago
  SARS-CoV-2 is not one of the corona viruses we refer to as common cold. Hence the name SARS-CoV-2, SevereAcuteRespiratorySyndrome- COronaVirus-2.
  - Mat342 6y ago
    Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the common cold (which is also caused by other viruses, predominantly rhinoviruses), while more lethal varieties can cause SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. In cows and pigs they cause diarrhea, while in mice they cause hepatitis and encephalomyelitis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus
    - croes 6y ago
      The paper is about SARS-CoV-2 not about corona viruses per se.
      - thesuitonym 6y ago
hestefisk 6y ago
So this isn’t good news for the global vaccine rollout is it? It’s a bit hard to decode what the “so what” is, so appreciate if someone can simplify and synthesise.
- russfink 6y ago
  I second this request. Thanks!

45 points by jandom 6y ago

The article has already been peer-reviewed and published in the "Cell" journal https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867421002981 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009286742...

disillusioned 6y ago

Once again, this study looks exclusively at the neutralizing effects of the antibodies in sera, and is unable to account for t-cells: >>>One important aspect of immunity not addressed by our work is cellular immunity contributed by cytotoxic lymphocytes, including T and NK cells. Even in the absence of neutralizing humoral immunity, previous studies have suggested that cellular immunity can mitigate severe or prolonged infection (Le Bert et al. 2020). In convalescent individuals, T-cell immunity would not be restricted to spike-derived epitopes, but also from other more abundant proteins such as nucleocapsid. As such, it would be reasonable to assume that T-cell-mediated immunity elicited by infection would remain largely intact for circulating variants including B.1.351. Indeed, although recent studies by Johnson & Johnson have demonstrated reduced overall efficacy in South Africa, there was substantially more protection against severe or fatal disease than for mild-to-moderate disease (Herper et al. 2021). However, with the exception of killed whole virus vaccines, all currently available vaccine designs only provide spike protein as the target immunogen, thus limiting T-cell immunity to spike epitopes. Notwithstanding, one recent study has demonstrated that mutations in spike epitopes do not impair T-cell responses despite escaping neutralizing antibodies (Skelly et al. 2021). So... the jury is still out on if the vaccines generate a significant enough t-cell response to engender protection against a variant that may be able to elude the antibodies the vaccine confers, though it appears that the t-cell response is still durable from naturally infected individuals.

jandom 6y ago
Isn't that being a little optimistic? After all if this was good news, it wouldn't be news :-) Fully appreciating the point: antibody response is not the only response of the immune system. The other story on HN right now is "AstraZeneca vaccine doesn't prevent B1351 Covid in early trial" – a finding consistent with the results of this study (yes, yes, AZ vaccine != Pfizer/Moderna). https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/03/astrazeneca-vaccine-doesnt-prevent-b1351-covid-early-trial https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/03/astrazen... So what becomes interesting is: does the AZ vaccine not produce the same T-cell response as Pfizer/Moderna, or are these vaccines in fact broadly similar (mutants don't affect T-cells but affect antibodies). The latter wouldn't be consistent with Skelly 2021.

plutonorm 6y ago

Cold virus escapes immune system by evolving to escape immune response! I am shocked. Shocked to hear that a Coronavirus, one of the viruses we refer to as the common cold has the ability to evolve it's way around a vaccine! /S We are going to need a new vaccine every year.

o_p 6y ago
>We are going to need a new vaccine every year. Sounds like a great business plan. Vaccines As a Service
pjmlp 6y ago
Just like the flu.
croes 6y ago
SARS-CoV-2 is not one of the corona viruses we refer to as common cold. Hence the name SARS-CoV-2, SevereAcuteRespiratorySyndrome- COronaVirus-2.
- Mat342 6y ago
  Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the common cold (which is also caused by other viruses, predominantly rhinoviruses), while more lethal varieties can cause SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. In cows and pigs they cause diarrhea, while in mice they cause hepatitis and encephalomyelitis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus
  - croes 6y ago
    The paper is about SARS-CoV-2 not about corona viruses per se.
    - thesuitonym 6y ago

hestefisk 6y ago

So this isn’t good news for the global vaccine rollout is it? It’s a bit hard to decode what the “so what” is, so appreciate if someone can simplify and synthesise.

russfink 6y ago
I second this request. Thanks!