Dynamics of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in convalescent plasma donors

Steenhuis, M.; van Mierlo, G.; Derksen, N. I. L.; Ooijevaar-de Heer, P.; Kruithof, S.; Loeff, F. L.; Berkhout, L. C.; Linty, F.; Reusken, C.; Reimerink, J.; Hogema, B.; Zaaijer, H.; van de Watering, L.; Swaneveld, F.; van Gils, M. J.; Bosch, B. J.; van Ham, M.; ten Brinke, A.; Vidarsson, G.; van der Schoot, E. C.; Rispens, T.

The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged in late 2019 and has caused a global health and economic crisis. The characterization of the human antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is vital for serosurveillance purposes as well for treatment options such as transfusion with convalescent plasma or immunoglobin products derived from convalescent plasma. In this study, we measured antibody responses in 844 longitudinal samples from 151 RT-PCR positive SARS-CoV-2 convalescent adults during the first 34 weeks after onset of symptoms. All donors were seropositive at the first sampling moment and only one donor seroreverted during follow-up analysis. Anti-RBD IgG and anti-nucleocapsid IgG levels slowly declined with median half-lifes of 62 and 59 days during 2-5 months after symptom onset, respectively. The rate of decline of antibody levels diminished during extended follow-up. In addition, the magnitude of the IgG response correlated with neutralization capacity measured in a classic plaque reduction assay as well in our in-house developed competition assay. The result of this study gives valuable insight into the longitudinal response of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.