Immune transcriptomes from hospitalized patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.1.7 and B.1.1.7 carrying the E484K escape mutation.

ABSTRACT: Fast-spreading variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) energize the COVID-19 pandemic. B.1.1.7 (VOC-202012/01) has become the predominant variant in many countries and a new lineage (VOC-202102/02) harboring the E484K escape mutation in the B.1.1.7 background emerged in February 2021 1 . This variant is of concern due to reduced neutralizing activity by vaccine-elicited antibodies 2,3 . However, it is not known whether this single amino acid change leads to an altered immune response. Here, we investigate differences in the immune transcriptome in hospitalized patients infected with either B.1.1.7 (n=28) or B.1.1.7+E484K (n=12). RNA-seq conducted on PBMCs isolated within five days after the onset of COVID symptoms demonstrated elevated activation of specifi

SUBMITTER: Lee HK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8183026 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature