MERS-CoV spike vaccine-induced N-terminal domain-specific antibodies are more protective than receptor binding domain-specific antibodies.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need to prepare for future emerging coronavriuses (CoVs) by understanding the principles behind effective CoV vaccine design such as protective immunity and antibody responses. To study which epitopes and subdomains contribute to in vivo protection, we utilized the prefusion-stabilized spike protein of MERS-CoV, MERS S-2P, as a vaccine immunogen. Vaccination with MERS S-2P elicited both receptor-binding domain (RBD)- and non-RBD-specific antibodies, including N-terminal domain (NTD)-specific G2-and CDC2-A2-like antibodies. Intriguingly, the immunogen MERS S-2P_ΔRBD, MERS S-2P with the RBDs removed, protects comparably to S1 and S-2P immunogens against MERS-CoV challenge. Moreover, passive transfer studies of polyclonal IgG from MERS S-2P immuniz

SUBMITTER: Abiona OM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11783452 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature