Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41012675›Full record

ArticleViruses2025

Assessing the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Mutations on Antibody Binding: A Comparative Assessment of the Wuhan and JN.1 Variants' Full-Length Spikes in a Multiplex Luminex Assay.

Gerald Waweru, Ruth Nyakundi, Bernadette Kutima, Sharon Owuor, Gloria Konyino, John Gitonga, Doreen Lugano, Angela Maina, Jennifer Musyoki, Lucy Ochola and 15 more

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Viruses, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

25 authors.

Gerald WaweruKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Ruth NyakundiKenya Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi P.O. Box 24481 00502, Kenya.
Bernadette KutimaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Sharon OwuorKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Gloria KonyinoKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
John GitongaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Doreen LuganoKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Angela MainaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.ORCID 0009-0004-7844-5744
Jennifer MusyokiKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Lucy OcholaKenya Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi P.O. Box 24481 00502, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0003-0264-5526
Martin OmondiKenya Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi P.O. Box 24481 00502, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0002-5954-311X
Christopher K KariukiKenya Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi P.O. Box 24481 00502, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0001-6596-9304
Paul OgongoKenya Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi P.O. Box 24481 00502, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0002-0093-5768
Christina MwachariKenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi P.O. Box 54840 00200, Kenya.
Faiz SheeSchool of Pure and Applied Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Pwani University, Kilifi P.O. Box 195-80108, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0002-1114-6449
Charles AgotiKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Charles SandeKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Sophie UyogaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0003-1746-7873
Eunice KaguciaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Ambrose AgweyuKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
Philip BejonKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
J Anthony G ScottKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
George M WarimweKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
L Isabella Ochola-OyierKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.
James NyagwangeKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi P.O. Box 230-80108, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0001-5430-6011

Funding

Gates Foundation INV-039626National Research Fund Kenya 2021 awardWellcome TrustWellcome Trust 226141/Z/22/Z and 226130/Z/22/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to evolve, with mutations leading to the emergence of new variants. JN.1, a subvariant of omicron BA.2.86, has demonstrated marked immune escape and is now included in updated vaccine formulations. While reduced sensitivity has been reported for antibody assays using ancestral spike protein subunits to detect omicron-induced responses, the performance of full-length spike-based assays against omicron sublineages remains unclear. We aimed to compare the sensitivity of ELISA and Luminex assays using full-length spike proteins from the ancestral Wuhan strain and the JN.1 variant.

methodsWuhan and JN.1 full-length spike protein constructs were designed and expressed in Expi293F mammalian cells. In-house ELISAs based on previously validated protocols were used to measure anti-spike IgG levels. Additionally, a Luminex-based assay for anti-spike antibody detection was developed and validated. Both assays were applied to the following sample groups: pre-pandemic samples (designated "gold standard negatives"); PCR confirmed 2020 positives ("gold standard wildtype positives"); PCR confirmed 2024 positives ("gold standard omicron positives"); 2022 vaccinated individuals with verbal confirmed infection ("gold standard hybrid positives"); and 2024 household samples ("unknowns").

resultsWuhan spike protein showed a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 0.88-1.0) in detecting omicron-specific antibodies using gold standard omicron positives with JN.1 spike protein as a reference assay. Overall, across all samples, in ELISA, the Wuhan antigen had a sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89-0.95) and a specificity of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.94-0.99). The JN.1 antigen showed a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.87-0.94) and a specificity of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.93-0.99). In Luminex, sensitivity was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.91-0.97) for Wuhan and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91-0.96) for JN.1. Specificity for both antigens in Luminex was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.94-0.99).

conclusionsBoth ELISA and Luminex assays showed comparable sensitivity and specificity for both Wuhan and JN.1 antigens, indicating that mutations in the JN.1 variant do not significantly impact assay performance. This suggests preserved antigenic recognition across variants.

Indexed as

Antibodies, ViralCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2Spike Glycoprotein, CoronavirusCOVID-19 Serological TestingEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayHumansImmunoglobulin GMutationSensitivity and SpecificityAntibodies, ViralImmunoglobulin GSpike Glycoprotein, Coronavirusspike protein, SARS-CoV-2agreementELISALuminexomicronSARS-CoV-2sensitivityspecificitywildtype

Identifiers

PMID41012675
PMCPMC12474121

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.