Some animals are better able to produce these broad antibodies, and during their research, the study team identified the antibody structures that provide this more comprehensive immune response, which has implications for vaccine production (Science Translational Medicine, 10 August 2022).
Specifically, these neutralizing antibodies recognize a region of the viral spike that is relatively more conserved or present among SARS viruses and less likely to mutate. In the study, rhesus macaque monkeys were immunized with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and given two vaccines that resemble current mRNA vaccines available for humans. However, unlike humans, the macaques had a broad neutralizing antibody response against the virus due to their antibodies recognizing the conserved region, in this case the binding site of the ACE-converting enzyme receptor. angiotensin 2.
According to the scientists, most human antibodies do not target this region and this suggests that additional strategies to persuade the human immune system to recognize this particular region of the virus will be useful for vaccine production.
However, the genetics between humans and monkeys differ, so more research is needed, not only to identify new strategies against SARS viruses, but also to ensure that the best translation models are used.
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