Why the study?
The full-length Spike protein is immunogenic, but most antibodies do not target the virus: ACE2 interface, prompting efforts to focus the antibody response to the receptor-binding motif.
Population
C57BL/6 mice
Comparison
Priming with plasmid (p)DNA constructs followed by recombinant Spike protein booster
Design
Preclinical animal study
Key result
Priming mice with plasmid DNA encoding conformationally-constrained RBM immunogens followed by a Spike protein booster induced polyclonal memory responses that neutralized authentic SARS-CoV-2 WA1 and variants of concern.
Authors
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Supports structure-selected RBM immunogens for broad neutralization in mice; leaves open translation to human SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
Structure-selected RBM immunogens can focus the antibody response to conserved sites, generating neutralizing antibodies across multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Almanza et al. (2022) studied SARS-CoV-2 (n=16). Structure-selected RBM immunogens (pDNA prime) vs. Spike protein boost only was evaluated on Neutralization of authentic SARS-CoV-2 isolates (IC50). Priming mice with plasmid DNA encoding conformationally-constrained RBM immunogens followed by a Spike protein booster induced polyclonal memory responses that neutralized authentic SARS-CoV-2 WA1 and variants of concern.