%0 Journal Article %A Szymczak, Aleksander %A Jędruchniewicz, Natalia %A Torelli, Alessandro %A Kaczmarzyk-Radka, Agata %A Coluccio, Rosa %A Kłak, Marlena %A Konieczny, Andrzej %A Ferenc, Stanisław %A Witkiewicz, Wojciech %A Montomoli, Emanuele %A Miernikiewicz, Paulina %A Bąchor, Remigiusz %A Dąbrowska, Krystyna %T Antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2 proteins N, S and E in COVID-19 patients in the normal population and in historical samples %D 2021 %J Journal of General Virology, %V 102 %N 11 %@ 1465-2099 %C 001692 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001692 %K antibodies %K immunology %K SARS-CoV-2 %K coronavirus %K acquired immunity %I Microbiology Society, %X Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally; recognition of immune responses to this virus will be crucial for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control, prevention and treatment. We comprehensively analysed IgG and IgA antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N), spike protein domain 1 (S1) and envelope protein (E) in: SARS-CoV-2-infected patient, healthy, historical and pre-epidemic samples, including patients’ medical, epidemiological and diagnostic data, virus-neutralizing capability and kinetics. N-specific IgG and IgA are the most reliable diagnostic targets for infection. Serum IgG levels correlate to IgA levels. Half a year after infection, anti-N and anti-S1 IgG decreased, but sera preserved virus-inhibitory potency; thus, testing for IgG may underestimate the protective potential of antibodies. Historical and pre-epidemic sera did not inhibit SARS-CoV-2, thus its circulation before the pandemic and a protective role from antibodies pre-induced by other coronaviruses cannot be confirmed by this study %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/jgv.0.001692