| Title | Protective and pathogenic role of humoral responses in COVID-19 |
|---|---|
| Author | Uni Park1,2 and Nam-Hyuk Cho1,2,3* |
| Address | 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea, 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea, 3Institute of Endemic Disease, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea |
| Bibliography | Journal of Microbiology, 60(3),268-275, 2022, |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12275-022-2037-8 |
| Key Words | COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, humoral immunity, antibody-escaping variants |
| Abstract | Since the advent of SARS-CoV-2 in Dec. 2019, the global endeavor to identify the pathogenic mechanism of COVID-19 has been ongoing. Although humoral immunity including neutralizing activity play an important role in protection from the viral pathogen, dysregulated antibody responses may be associated with the pathogenic progression of COVID-19, especially in high-risk individuals. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific antibodies acquired by prior infection or vaccination act as immune pressure, driving continuous population turnover by selecting for antibody-escaping mutations. Here, we review accumulating knowledge on the potential role of humoral immune responses in COVID-19, primarily focusing on their beneficial and pathogenic properties. Understanding the multifaceted regulatory mechanisms of humoral responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection can help us to develop more effective therapeutics, as well as protective measures against the ongoing pandemic. |