Key message:
B cells undergo affinity maturation to improve the binding quality of their antibodies. In this study, we describe how the stochastic diversification of B-cell receptors creates expanded clonotypes of antibodies, of which some clones can neutralize virus variants that will emerge only in the future.
Translational perspective:
Monoclonal antibodies against infectious diseases such as COVID-19 have the disadvantage, that the pathogen rapidly escapes from neutralization by forming immune escape variants. Now we know how to adapt monoclonal antibodies to control newly upcoming virus variants.
Original publication:
Matthias Bruhn, Maureen Obara, Abdus Salam, Bibiana Costa, Annett Ziegler, Inken Waltl, Andreas Pavlou, Markus Hoffmann, Theresa Graalmann, Stefan Pöhlmann, Axel Schambach, Ulrich Kalinke
Diversification of the VH3-53 immunoglobulin gene segment by somatic hypermutation results in neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 virus variants
European Journal of Immunology, First published: 09 April 2024
https://doi.org/10.1002/eji.202451056