Immune Responses in COVID-19 and Potential Vaccines: Lessons Learned From SARS and MERS Epidemic

Abstract

As the world is witnessing the epidemic of COVID-19, a disease caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerging genetics and clinical evidences suggest a similar path to those of SARS and MERS. The rapid genomic sequencing and open access data, together with advanced vaccine technology, are expected to give us more knowledge on the pathogen itself, including the host immune response as well as the plan for therapeutic vaccines in the near future. This review aims to provide a comparative view among SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and the newly epidemic SARS-CoV-2, in the hope to gain a better understanding of the host-pathogen interaction, host immune responses, and the pathogen immune evasion strategies. This predictive view may help in designing an immune intervention or preventive vaccine for COVID-19 in the near future.

Perspectives on monoclonal antibody therapy as potential therapeutic intervention for Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).

Shanmugaraj B, Siriwattananon K, Wangkanont K, Phoolcharoen W. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2020 Mar;38(1):10-18. doi: 10.12932/AP-200220-0773. PMID: 32134278

Preliminary Identification of Potential Vaccine Targets for the COVID-19 Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Based on SARS-CoV Immunological Studies.

Ahmed SF, Quadeer AA, McKay MR. Viruses. 2020 Feb 25;12(3):E254. doi: 10.3390/v12030254. PMID: 32106567

The origin, transmission and clinical therapies on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak – an update on the status.

Guo YR, Cao QD, Hong ZS, Tan YY, Chen SD, Jin HJ, Tan KS, Wang DY, Yan Y. Mil Med Res. 2020 Mar 13;7(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s40779-020-00240-0. PMID: 32169119. Free PMC article.

T-cell immunity of SARS-CoV: Implications for vaccine development against MERS-CoV.

Liu WJ, Zhao M, Liu K, Xu K, Wong G, Tan W, Gao GF. Antiviral Res. 2017 Jan;137:82-92. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2016.11.006. Epub 2016 Nov 11. PMID: 27840203

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV): Infection, Immunological Response, and Vaccine Development.

Mubarak A, Alturaiki W, Hemida MG. J Immunol Res. 2019 Apr 7;2019:6491738. doi: 10.1155/2019/6491738. eCollection 2019. PMID: 31089478