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Reduced sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 variant Delta to antibody neutralization

2021; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 596; Issue: 7871 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/s41586-021-03777-9

1476-4687

Delphine Planas, David Veyer, Artem Baidaliuk, Isabelle Staropoli, Florence Guivel‐Benhassine, Maaran Michael Rajah, Cyril Planchais, Françoise Porrot, Nicolas Robillard, Julien Puech, Matthieu Prot, Floriane Gallais, Pierre Gantner, Aurélie Velay, J. Le Guen, Najiby Kassis‐Chikhani, Dhiaeddine Edriss, Laurent Bélec, Aymeric Sève, Laura Courtellemont, Hélène Péré, Laurent Hocqueloux, Samira Fafi‐Kremer, Thiérry Prazuck, Hugo Mouquet, Timothée Bruel, Etienne Simon‐Lorière, F.A. Rey, Olivier Schwartz,

SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 lineage was identified in October 2020 in India1–5. Since then, it has become dominant in some regions of India and in the UK, and has spread to many other countries6. The lineage includes three main subtypes (B1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3), which contain diverse mutations in the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that may increase the immune evasion potential of these variants. B.1.617.2—also termed the Delta variant—is believed to spread faster than other variants. Here we isolated an infectious strain of the Delta variant from an individual with COVID-19 who had returned to France from India. We examined the sensitivity of this strain to monoclonal antibodies and to antibodies present in sera from individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 (hereafter referred to as convalescent individuals) or who had received a COVID-19 vaccine, and then compared this strain with other strains of SARS-CoV-2. The Delta variant was resistant to neutralization by some anti-NTD and anti-RBD monoclonal antibodies, including bamlanivimab, and these antibodies showed impaired binding to the spike protein. Sera collected from convalescent individuals up to 12 months after the onset of symptoms were fourfold less potent against the Delta variant relative to the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7). Sera from individuals who had received one dose of the Pfizer or the AstraZeneca vaccine had a barely discernible inhibitory effect on the Delta variant. Administration of two doses of the vaccine generated a neutralizing response in 95% of individuals, with titres three- to fivefold lower against the Delta variant than against the Alpha variant. Thus, the spread of the Delta variant is associated with an escape from antibodies that target non-RBD and RBD epitopes of the spike protein. The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant partially evades neutralization by several monoclonal antibodies and by sera from individuals who have had COVID-19, but two doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccines still generate a strong neutralizing response.