Basic & Clinical Medicine ›› 2023, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3): 438-443.doi: 10.16352/j.issn.1001-6325.2023.03.438

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2-related linear epitopes induce neuroinflammation of mice

XU Jinming1, HONG Yuxuan2, WEI Hui1, XU Qi1*   

  1. 1. Institute of Basic Medical Sciences CAMS, School of Basic Medicine PUMC, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing 100005;
    2. Beijing No. 166 High School, Beijing 100006, China
  • Received:2022-04-12 Revised:2022-09-29 Online:2023-03-05 Published:2023-02-27
  • Contact: * xuqi@pumc.edu.cn

Abstract: Objective To evaluate the potential biological functions of non-viral neutralizing antibodies associated with linear epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Methods The linear epitope S2-78 with the highest response frequency and longest antibody retention time in COVID-19 patients was selected according to previous reports. After immunizing mice with keyhole limpet hemocyain conjugated S2-78 polypeptide(KLH-S2-78), the serum anti-S2-78 IgG antibody level, mouse behavioral phenotype and the density of microglia in the brain were detected. Results KLH-S2-78 immunized mice developed high titers of anti-S2-78 IgG antibodies(the highest titer was 25 600, A450=0.305 5), a psychomotor-like behavioral phenotype with defective sensorimotor gating, impaired olfactory function, and impaired spontaneity. The density of microglia significantly increased in the cortex and hippocampus(P<0 .05), suggesting a state of central inflammatory stress. Conclusions Anti-S2-78 IgG antibody may cause neuroinflammatory damages in the brain tissue by stimulating the host inflammatory response.

Key words: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, linear epitope, non-viral neutralizing antibody, microglia activation

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