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Updated: Sep 9, 2025

Dynamic Monitoring of Seroconversion using a Multianalyte Immunobead Assay for Covid-19

Dynamic Monitoring of Seroconversion using a Multianalyte Immunobead Assay for Covid-19

Published on: February 16, 2022

Long-Term Protection Against Symptomatic Omicron Infections Requires Balanced Immunity Against Spike Epitopes After

Heiko Pfister¹, Carsten Uhlig¹, Zsuzsanna Mayer¹

¹Munich Biomarker Research Center, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, TUM University Hospital German Heart Center, Lazarettstr. 36, 80636 Munich, Germany.

|August 28, 2025

Summary

Long-term protection against Omicron requires balanced immunity to conserved and non-conserved SARS-CoV-2 Spike epitopes. Future vaccines should target a broad spectrum for sustained protection against variants.

Keywords:

Omicron SARS-CoV-2 adaptive immunity antibodies cellular immune response mRNA vaccine predictive markers vaccination viral infection

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Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies using High-Throughput Fluorescent Imaging of Pseudovirus Infection

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies using High-Throughput Fluorescent Imaging of Pseudovirus Infection

Published on: June 5, 2021

Area of Science:

Immunology
Virology
Vaccinology

Background:

Limited studies differentiate immunity against conserved and non-conserved SARS-CoV-2 Spike epitopes for long-term protection.
Existing research insufficiently guides pan-variant vaccine development.
This study investigates immunity against Spike protein and Omicron breakthrough infections.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the correlation between neutralizing antibody and cellular immunity levels against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and symptomatic Omicron breakthrough infections.
To assess the role of immunity targeting conserved and non-conserved epitopes in protection.

Main Methods:

Observational cohort study of 107 subjects.
Analysis of neutralizing antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 (sub)variants 6 months post-vaccination and post-booster using a multiplex surrogate virus neutralization assay.
Assessment of cellular immunity via cytokine mRNA expression after peptide pool stimulation in whole blood samples.

Main Results:

Neutralizing antibody titers reliably predicted protection before booster but diminished post-booster due to antibody repertoire remodeling.
Balanced immune response to conserved and non-conserved Spike epitopes enhanced Omicron vaccine effectiveness.
Neutralizing antibodies against mutated epitopes protected against symptomatic infection, while cellular immunity targeting conserved epitopes was most effective.

Conclusions:

Optimal long-term protection against Omicron necessitates balanced immunity to both conserved and non-conserved SARS-CoV-2 Spike epitopes.
Waning humoral immunity and limited cross-neutralizing antibodies against non-conserved epitopes pose challenges for long-term protection.
Future pan-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines targeting a broad epitope spectrum, including conserved and non-conserved epitopes, may offer more effective long-term protection than those focusing solely on conserved epitopes.