Permissive omicron breakthrough infections in individuals with binding or neutralizing antibodies to ancestral SARS-CoV-2

Erin Williams; Jordan Colson; Ranjini Valiathan; Juan Manuel Carreño; Florian Krammer; Michael Hoffer; Suresh Pallikkuth; Savita Pahwa; David Andrews

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.08.058

Permissive omicron breakthrough infections in individuals with binding or neutralizing antibodies to ancestral SARS-CoV-2

Vaccine. 2022 Sep 29;40(41):5868-5872. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.08.058. Epub 2022 Aug 30.

Authors

Erin Williams¹, Jordan Colson², Ranjini Valiathan², Juan Manuel Carreño³, Florian Krammer⁴, Michael Hoffer⁵, Suresh Pallikkuth⁶, Savita Pahwa⁷, David Andrews⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
² Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
³ Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VARPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
⁴ Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VARPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
⁵ Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
⁶ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
⁷ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA. Electronic address: spahwa@med.miami.edu.
⁸ Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA. Electronic address: dandrews@miami.edu.

Abstract

Background: Breakthrough infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) has occurred in populations with high vaccination rates.

Methods: In a longitudinal cohort study, pre-breakthrough infection sera for Omicron breakthroughs (n = 12) were analyzed. Assays utilized include a laboratory-developed solid phase binding assay to recombinant spike protein, a commercial assay to the S1 domain of the spike protein calibrated to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard, and a commercial solid-phase surrogate neutralizing activity (SNA) assay. All assays employed spike protein preparations based on sequences from the Wuhan-Hu-1 strain.

Results: Pre-breakthrough binding antibody titers ranged from 1:800 to 1:51,200 for the laboratory-developed binding assay, which correlated well and agreed quantitatively with the commercial spike S1 domain WHO calibrated assay. SNA was detected in 10/12 (83%) samples.

Conclusions: Neither high binding titers nor SNA were markers of protection from Omicron infection/re-infection.

Keywords: Binding antibodies; Breakthrough; Neutralizing antibodies; Omicron; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Antibodies, Neutralizing*
Antibodies, Viral
COVID-19*
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Membrane Glycoproteins
Neutralization Tests
Recombinant Proteins
SARS-CoV-2
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
Viral Envelope Proteins

Substances

Antibodies, Neutralizing
Antibodies, Viral
Membrane Glycoproteins
Recombinant Proteins
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
Viral Envelope Proteins
spike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Supplementary concepts

SARS-CoV-2 variants

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Supplementary concepts

Grants and funding