Efficacy of mRNA, adenoviral vector, and perfusion protein COVID-19 vaccines

Mohammad Reza Zinatizadeh1, Peyman Kheirandish Zarandi1, Maryam Zinatizadeh2

  • 1Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Cancer Biology Signaling Pathway Interest Group (CBSPIG), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.

Insights

COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a major global health threat. This review examines the effectiveness of current COVID-19 vaccines against emerging variants of concern (VoCs) like Omicron.

Area of Science:

  • Virology and Epidemiology
  • Immunology and Vaccinology

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged as a significant global health crisis.
  • In 2020, COVID-19 became the third leading cause of mortality in the United States.
  • The emergence of multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains necessitated classification into variants of concern (VoCs) and variants of interest (VoIs) by the CDC and WHO.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the effectiveness of current COVID-19 vaccines against various SARS-CoV-2 strains.
  • To analyze the impact of mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variants on viral transmissibility and immune evasion.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of epidemiological reports and scientific studies.
  • Analysis of mutations within the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and n-terminal domain (NTD) of SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • Evaluation of vaccine efficacy data against identified VoCs.

Main Results:

  • Five major SARS-CoV-2 VoCs identified by December 2021: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron.
  • Key mutations, such as N501Y in the RBD, enhance viral binding to ACE2 receptors and increase infectivity.
  • Emerging variants pose a challenge to existing vaccination strategies and public health interventions.

Conclusions:

  • Current COVID-19 vaccines face challenges in fully neutralizing new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • Ongoing research is crucial to adapt and develop vaccines effective against evolving viral strains.
  • Vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants requires continuous monitoring and potential booster strategies.