AUTHOR=Han Xiaojian , Wang Yingming , Li Shenglong , Hu Chao , Li Tingting , Gu Chenjian , Wang Kai , Shen Meiying , Wang Jianwei , Hu Jie , Wu Ruixin , Mu Song , Gong Fang , Chen Qian , Gao Fengxia , Huang Jingjing , Long Yingyi , Luo Feiyang , Song Shuyi , Long Shunhua , Hao Yanan , Li Luo , Wu Yang , Xu Wei , Cai Xia , Gao Qingzhu , Zhang Guiji , He Changlong , Deng Kun , Du Li , Nai Yaru , Wang Wang , Xie Youhua , Qu Di , Huang Ailong , Tang Ni , Jin Aishun TITLE=A Rapid and Efficient Screening System for Neutralizing Antibodies and Its Application for SARS-CoV-2 JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.653189 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.653189 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

After the pandemic of COVID-19, neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 have been developed for the prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. However, few methodologies are described in detail on how to rapidly and efficiently generate effective NAbs to SARS-CoV-2. Here, we integrated and optimized a strategically screening method for NAbs, which has enabled us to obtain SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) specific NAbs within 6 days, followed by additional 9 days for antibody production and function analysis. Using this method, we obtained 198 specific Abs against SARS-CoV-2 RBD from the blood samples of COVID-19 convalescent patients, and 96 of them showed neutralizing activity. At least 20% of these NAbs exhibited advanced neutralizing potency and high affinity, with the top two NAbs showing half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) to block authentic SARS-CoV-2 at 9.88 and 11.13 ng/ml, respectively. Altogether, our study provides an effective methodology with high applicable value for discovering potential preventative and therapeutic NAbs for the emerging infectious diseases.