Elevated binding and functional antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in infants versus mothers

Abstract

Infant antibody responses to viral infection can differ from those in adults. However, data on the specificity and function of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in infants, and direct comparisons between infants and adults are limited. Here, we characterize antibody binding and functionality against Wuhan-Hu-1 (B lineage) strain SARS-CoV-2 in convalescent plasma from 36 postpartum women and 14 of their infants infected with SARS-CoV-2 from a vaccine-naïve prospective cohort in Nairobi, Kenya. We find significantly higher antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 Spike, receptor binding domain and N-terminal domain, and Spike-expressing cell-surface staining levels in infants versus mothers. Plasma antibodies from mothers and infants bind to similar regions of the Spike S2 subunit, including the fusion peptide (FP) and stem helix-heptad repeat 2. However, infants display higher antibody levels and more consistent antibody escape pathways in the FP region compared to mothers. Finally, infants have significantly higher levels of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), though, surprisingly, Spike pseudovirus neutralization titers between infants and mothers are similar. These results suggest infants develop distinct SARS-CoV-2 binding and functional antibody activities and reveal age-related differences in humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection that could be relevant to protection and COVID-19 disease outcomes.