SARS-CoV-2, better known as COVID-19, is a highly transmitted disease that appeared in late 2019 and led to a global pandemic by March 2020. As the number of cases began to rise, severe illness, and high death tolls have followed. In this study, an assay for antibodies was developed for the rapid detection of COVID-19 using silica-coated magnetic particles that contained a recombinant antigen from SARS-CoV-2 and secondary antibodies containing fluorescent labels. Human serum albumin (HSA), antibodies against HSA, and fluorescein labeled secondary antibodies were used as an initial model system. The final method used a recombinant form of spike protein S1 from SARS-CoV-2 as the immobilized target agent, as well as secondary antibodies that contained fluorescent tags based on Alexa Fluor dyes. The response of this method was characterized and optimized, allowing detection of antibodies to the immobilized antigen at levels in the low nM range and with total incubation times of only 5 min.  This method was found to be selective for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 when compared to antibodies against other infectious agents such as the middle eastern respiratory virus (MERS) and anti-respiratory synthetical virus (RSV).  This assay is currently being adapted for use in a portable device for the rapid detection of COVID-19 antibodies. The same general assay scheme can also be modified for the detection of antibodies against other infectious agents or viral antigens.

COVID-19 antibody detection by a rapid sandwich assay with fluorescence detection

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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