Neutralizing antibodies in convalescent patients

In a cohort of 149 convalescent patients with variable COVID-19 severity, Robbiani et al. report an overall low neutralizing capacity of plasma serum for SARS-CoV-2. Repertoire analysis of six representative convalescent patients revealed the presence of recurrent and clonally expanded IgG⁺ B cells, with specific IGHV and IGLV gene combinations being shared between different individuals. Potent neutralizing antibodies were found in individuals independently of their overall serum neutralizing capacity. Furthermore, the antibodies targeted distinct neutralizing epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 glycoprotein spike. These findings indicate that despite low plasma neutralizing capacity, most individuals can generate potent IgG neutralizing antibodies independently of the severity of their symptoms, which has important implications for the design of an effective vaccine.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.