Pre-existing IgG antibodies to HCoVs NL63 and OC43 spike increased during the pandemic and after COVID-19 vaccination

Zahra Hasan; Kiran Iqbal Masood; Marc Veldhoen; Shama Qaiser; Marta Alenquer; Mishgan Akhtar; Sadaf Balouch; Junaid Iqbal; Yaqub Wassan; Shahneel Hussain; Khalid Feroz; Sajid Muhammad; Atif Habib; Akbar Kanji; Erum Khan; Afsar Ali Mian; Rabia Hussain; Maria Joao Amorim; Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42171

Pre-existing IgG antibodies to HCoVs NL63 and OC43 spike increased during the pandemic and after COVID-19 vaccination

Zahra Hasan^*, Kiran Iqbal Masood, Marc Veldhoen, Shama Qaiser, Marta Alenquer, Mishgan Akhtar, Sadaf Balouch, Junaid Iqbal, Yaqub Wassan, Shahneel Hussain, Khalid Feroz, Sajid Muhammad, Atif Habib, Akbar Kanji, Erum Khan, Afsar Ali Mian, Rabia Hussain, Maria Joao Amorim, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Preexisting immunity may be associated with increased protection against non-related pathogens such as, SARS-CoV-2. There is little information regarding endemic human coronaviruses (HCOVs) from Pakistan, which experienced a relatively low COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We investigated antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and HCoVs NL63 and OC43, comparing sera from prepandemic controls (PPC) period with responses in healthy controls from the pandemic (HC 2021). Further, we investigated the effect of inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations on antibody responses to the pandemic and endemic coronaviruses. We measured IgG antibodies to Spike of SARS-CoV-2, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43 by ELISA. Serum neutralizing capacity was determined using a SARS-CoV-2 psuedotyped virus assay. Vaccinees were sampled prior to vaccination as well after 6, 12 and 24 weeks after COVID-19 inactivated (Sinovac), or mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccine administration. PPC sera showed seropositivity of 15 % to SARS-CoV-2, whilst it was 45 % in the HC 2021 group. Five percent of sera showed virus neutralizing activity in PPC whilst it was 50 % in HC 2021. IgG antibodies to Spike of NL63 and OC43 were also present in PPC; anti-NL63 was 2.9-fold, and anti-OC43 was 10.1-fold higher than to anti-SARS-CoV-2 levels. IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 were positively correlated with HCoV-NL63 in HC 2021, indicating recognition of shared conserved epitopes. IgG antibody levels increased during the pandemic; 2.7-fold to HCoV-NL63 and 1.9-fold to HCoV-OC43. SinoVac and BNT162b2 vaccine induced an increase in IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 as well as HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43. Our data show that antibodies to spike protein of endemic coronaviruses were present in the prepandemic population. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, NL63 and OC43 were all raised during the pandemic and further enhanced after COVID-19 vaccinations. The increase in antibodies to spike of coronaviruses would contribute to protection against SARS-CoV-2.

Original language	English
Article number	e42171
Number of pages	13
Journal	Heliyon
Volume	11
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42171
Publication status	Published - 15 Feb 2025

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Hasan, Z., Masood, K. I., Veldhoen, M., Qaiser, S., Alenquer, M., Akhtar, M., Balouch, S., Iqbal, J., Wassan, Y., Hussain, S., Feroz, K., Muhammad, S., Habib, A., Kanji, A., Khan, E., Mian, A. A., Hussain, R., Amorim, M. J., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2025). Pre-existing IgG antibodies to HCoVs NL63 and OC43 spike increased during the pandemic and after COVID-19 vaccination. Heliyon, 11(3), Article e42171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42171

@article{2526e569dd3e4f429d8a0cb094c5d100,

title = "Pre-existing IgG antibodies to HCoVs NL63 and OC43 spike increased during the pandemic and after COVID-19 vaccination",

abstract = "Preexisting immunity may be associated with increased protection against non-related pathogens such as, SARS-CoV-2. There is little information regarding endemic human coronaviruses (HCOVs) from Pakistan, which experienced a relatively low COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We investigated antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and HCoVs NL63 and OC43, comparing sera from prepandemic controls (PPC) period with responses in healthy controls from the pandemic (HC 2021). Further, we investigated the effect of inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations on antibody responses to the pandemic and endemic coronaviruses. We measured IgG antibodies to Spike of SARS-CoV-2, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43 by ELISA. Serum neutralizing capacity was determined using a SARS-CoV-2 psuedotyped virus assay. Vaccinees were sampled prior to vaccination as well after 6, 12 and 24 weeks after COVID-19 inactivated (Sinovac), or mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccine administration. PPC sera showed seropositivity of 15 % to SARS-CoV-2, whilst it was 45 % in the HC 2021 group. Five percent of sera showed virus neutralizing activity in PPC whilst it was 50 % in HC 2021. IgG antibodies to Spike of NL63 and OC43 were also present in PPC; anti-NL63 was 2.9-fold, and anti-OC43 was 10.1-fold higher than to anti-SARS-CoV-2 levels. IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 were positively correlated with HCoV-NL63 in HC 2021, indicating recognition of shared conserved epitopes. IgG antibody levels increased during the pandemic; 2.7-fold to HCoV-NL63 and 1.9-fold to HCoV-OC43. SinoVac and BNT162b2 vaccine induced an increase in IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 as well as HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43. Our data show that antibodies to spike protein of endemic coronaviruses were present in the prepandemic population. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, NL63 and OC43 were all raised during the pandemic and further enhanced after COVID-19 vaccinations. The increase in antibodies to spike of coronaviruses would contribute to protection against SARS-CoV-2.",

author = "Zahra Hasan and Masood, {Kiran Iqbal} and Marc Veldhoen and Shama Qaiser and Marta Alenquer and Mishgan Akhtar and Sadaf Balouch and Junaid Iqbal and Yaqub Wassan and Shahneel Hussain and Khalid Feroz and Sajid Muhammad and Atif Habib and Akbar Kanji and Erum Khan and Mian, {Afsar Ali} and Rabia Hussain and Amorim, {Maria Joao} and Bhutta, {Zulfiqar A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42171",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

journal = "Heliyon",

issn = "2405-8440",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

number = "3",

}

Hasan, Z, Masood, KI, Veldhoen, M, Qaiser, S, Alenquer, M, Akhtar, M, Balouch, S, Iqbal, J, Wassan, Y, Hussain, S, Feroz, K, Muhammad, S, Habib, A, Kanji, A, Khan, E, Mian, AA, Hussain, R, Amorim, MJ & Bhutta, ZA 2025, 'Pre-existing IgG antibodies to HCoVs NL63 and OC43 spike increased during the pandemic and after COVID-19 vaccination', Heliyon, vol. 11, no. 3, e42171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42171

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pre-existing IgG antibodies to HCoVs NL63 and OC43 spike increased during the pandemic and after COVID-19 vaccination

AU - Hasan, Zahra

AU - Masood, Kiran Iqbal

AU - Veldhoen, Marc

AU - Qaiser, Shama

AU - Alenquer, Marta

AU - Akhtar, Mishgan

AU - Balouch, Sadaf

AU - Iqbal, Junaid

AU - Wassan, Yaqub

AU - Hussain, Shahneel

AU - Feroz, Khalid

AU - Muhammad, Sajid

AU - Habib, Atif

AU - Kanji, Akbar

AU - Khan, Erum

AU - Mian, Afsar Ali

AU - Hussain, Rabia

AU - Amorim, Maria Joao

AU - Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.

PY - 2025/2/15

Y1 - 2025/2/15

N2 - Preexisting immunity may be associated with increased protection against non-related pathogens such as, SARS-CoV-2. There is little information regarding endemic human coronaviruses (HCOVs) from Pakistan, which experienced a relatively low COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We investigated antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and HCoVs NL63 and OC43, comparing sera from prepandemic controls (PPC) period with responses in healthy controls from the pandemic (HC 2021). Further, we investigated the effect of inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations on antibody responses to the pandemic and endemic coronaviruses. We measured IgG antibodies to Spike of SARS-CoV-2, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43 by ELISA. Serum neutralizing capacity was determined using a SARS-CoV-2 psuedotyped virus assay. Vaccinees were sampled prior to vaccination as well after 6, 12 and 24 weeks after COVID-19 inactivated (Sinovac), or mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccine administration. PPC sera showed seropositivity of 15 % to SARS-CoV-2, whilst it was 45 % in the HC 2021 group. Five percent of sera showed virus neutralizing activity in PPC whilst it was 50 % in HC 2021. IgG antibodies to Spike of NL63 and OC43 were also present in PPC; anti-NL63 was 2.9-fold, and anti-OC43 was 10.1-fold higher than to anti-SARS-CoV-2 levels. IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 were positively correlated with HCoV-NL63 in HC 2021, indicating recognition of shared conserved epitopes. IgG antibody levels increased during the pandemic; 2.7-fold to HCoV-NL63 and 1.9-fold to HCoV-OC43. SinoVac and BNT162b2 vaccine induced an increase in IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 as well as HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43. Our data show that antibodies to spike protein of endemic coronaviruses were present in the prepandemic population. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, NL63 and OC43 were all raised during the pandemic and further enhanced after COVID-19 vaccinations. The increase in antibodies to spike of coronaviruses would contribute to protection against SARS-CoV-2.

AB - Preexisting immunity may be associated with increased protection against non-related pathogens such as, SARS-CoV-2. There is little information regarding endemic human coronaviruses (HCOVs) from Pakistan, which experienced a relatively low COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We investigated antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and HCoVs NL63 and OC43, comparing sera from prepandemic controls (PPC) period with responses in healthy controls from the pandemic (HC 2021). Further, we investigated the effect of inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations on antibody responses to the pandemic and endemic coronaviruses. We measured IgG antibodies to Spike of SARS-CoV-2, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43 by ELISA. Serum neutralizing capacity was determined using a SARS-CoV-2 psuedotyped virus assay. Vaccinees were sampled prior to vaccination as well after 6, 12 and 24 weeks after COVID-19 inactivated (Sinovac), or mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccine administration. PPC sera showed seropositivity of 15 % to SARS-CoV-2, whilst it was 45 % in the HC 2021 group. Five percent of sera showed virus neutralizing activity in PPC whilst it was 50 % in HC 2021. IgG antibodies to Spike of NL63 and OC43 were also present in PPC; anti-NL63 was 2.9-fold, and anti-OC43 was 10.1-fold higher than to anti-SARS-CoV-2 levels. IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 were positively correlated with HCoV-NL63 in HC 2021, indicating recognition of shared conserved epitopes. IgG antibody levels increased during the pandemic; 2.7-fold to HCoV-NL63 and 1.9-fold to HCoV-OC43. SinoVac and BNT162b2 vaccine induced an increase in IgG antibodies to Spike SARS-CoV-2 as well as HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43. Our data show that antibodies to spike protein of endemic coronaviruses were present in the prepandemic population. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, NL63 and OC43 were all raised during the pandemic and further enhanced after COVID-19 vaccinations. The increase in antibodies to spike of coronaviruses would contribute to protection against SARS-CoV-2.

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U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42171

DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42171

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85215988156

SN - 2405-8440

VL - 11

JO - Heliyon

JF - Heliyon

IS - 3

M1 - e42171

ER -

Pre-existing IgG antibodies to HCoVs NL63 and OC43 spike increased during the pandemic and after COVID-19 vaccination

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