Towards an optimal monoclonal antibody with higher binding affinity to the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins from different variants

Abstract

A highly efficient and robust multiple scales in silico protocol, consisting of atomistic Molecular Dynamics (MD), coarse-grain (CG) MD, and constant-pH CG Monte Carlo (MC), has been developed and used to study the binding affinities of selected antigen-binding fragments of the monoclonal antibody (mAbs) CR3022 and several of its here optimized versions against 11 SARS-CoV-2 variants including the wild type. Totally 235,000 mAbs structures were initially generated using the RosettaAntibodyDesign software, resulting in top 10 scored CR3022-like-RBD complexes with critical mutations and compared to the native one, all having the potential to block virus-host cell interaction. Of these 10 finalists, two candidates were further identified in the CG simulations to be the best against all SARS-CoV-2 variants. Surprisingly, all 10 candidates and the native CR3022 exhibited a higher affinity for the Omicron variant despite its highest number of mutations. The multiscale protocol gives us a powerful rational tool to design efficient mAbs. The electrostatic interactions play a crucial role and appear to be controlling the affinity and complex building. Studied mAbs carrying a more negative total net charge show a higher affinity. Structural determinants could be identified in atomistic simulations and their roles are discussed in detail to further hint at a strategy for designing the best RBD binder. Although the SARS-CoV-2 was specifically targeted in this work, our approach is generally suitable for many diseases and viral and bacterial pathogens, leukemia, cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid, arthritis, lupus, and more.