Persistence of serum and saliva antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike antigens in COVID-19 patients

Sci Immunol. 2020 Oct 8;5(52):eabe5511. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abe5511.

Abstract

While the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 has been extensively studied in blood, relatively little is known about the antibody response in saliva and its relationship to systemic antibody levels. Here, we profiled by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) IgG, IgA and IgM responses to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (full length trimer) and its receptor-binding domain (RBD) in serum and saliva of acute and convalescent patients with laboratory-diagnosed COVID-19 ranging from 3-115 days post-symptom onset (PSO), compared to negative controls. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses were readily detected in serum and saliva, with peak IgG levels attained by 16-30 days PSO. Longitudinal analysis revealed that anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgM antibodies rapidly decayed, while IgG antibodies remained relatively stable up to 105 days PSO in both biofluids. Lastly, IgG, IgM and to a lesser extent IgA responses to spike and RBD in the serum positively correlated with matched saliva samples. This study confirms that serum and saliva IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are maintained in the majority of COVID-19 patients for at least 3 months PSO. IgG responses in saliva may serve as a surrogate measure of systemic immunity to SARS-CoV-2 based on their correlation with serum IgG responses.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • Betacoronavirus / immunology*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin A / blood
  • Immunoglobulin A / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Saliva / immunology*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2