Two is better than one for COVID-19
Most individuals that become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, produce neutralizing antibodies against the virus. However, the relative contribution of individual antibody isotypes remains unclear. In this study, Wang et al. investigated the function of SARS-CoV-2–specific antibodies of the IgA isotype, which exists in both monomeric and dimeric forms. Dimeric IgA antibodies, which are formed by the covalent linkage of two individual IgA monomers, are predominantly found in mucosal tissues, including the upper respiratory tract where SARS-CoV-2 is first encountered. The authors found that dimeric IgA antibodies neutralized SARS-CoV-2 more effectively than their monomeric counterparts. Thus, vaccines that induce dimeric IgA antibodies at mucosal surfaces may be good candidates for protection against SARS-CoV-2.
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