Preprints with The Lancet is a collaboration between The Lancet Group of journals and SSRN to facilitate the open sharing of preprints for early engagement, community comment, and collaboration. Preprints available here are not Lancet publications or necessarily under review with a Lancet journal. These preprints are early-stage research papers that have not been peer-reviewed. The usual SSRN checks and a Lancet-specific check for appropriateness and transparency have been applied. The findings should not be used for clinical or public health decision-making or presented without highlighting these facts. For more information, please see the FAQs.
Breastmilk: A Source of SARS-CoV-2 Specific IgA Antibodies
Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht
Division Infectious Diseases & Immunology / Laboratory of Virology, Department Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University
Division Infectious Diseases & Immunology / Laboratory of Virology, Department Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University
Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht
Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many put their hopes in the rapid development of effective immunizations. As this intervention will not be available on a short notice, patient isolation, physical distancing, protective materials and good hygiene are currently the sole measures for prevention. Here we provide multiple lines of evidence on the presence of a variety of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) present in breastmilk from mothers who have recovered from COVID-19, with no such antibodies present in the controls. These antibodies are capable of neutralizing a clinical isolate of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro . We furthermore show that high pressure pasteurization hardly affects antibody levels and efficacy. We hypothesize that breastmilk, obtained from mothers who have recovered from COVID-19, may serve as a safe and widely applicable preventive strategy.
Trial Registration: This research project was registered at the Dutch Trial Register on May 1st, 2020, number: NL 8575
Funding Statement: The study was funded by de Stichting Steun Emma Kinderziekenhuis. No payment by a pharmaceutical company or other agency was made.
Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Ethics Approval Statement: Ethical approval was obtained from the Medical Ethics Committee of Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc and written informed consent was obtained from all participants.
Keywords: COVID-19, Maternal immunoglobulins, Lactation, Mucosal immunity, Pasteurization, IgA
van Keulen, Britt J. and Romijn, Michelle and Bondt, Albert and van der Straten, Karlijn and den Boer, Maurits A. and Bosch, Berend J. and Brouwer, Philip J.M. and de Groot, Christianne J.M. and Hoek, Max and Li, W. and Pajkrt, Dasja and Sanders, Rogier W. and Schoonderwoerd, Anne and Stittelaar, Koert J. and Tamara, Sem and Timmermans, Rian A.H. and Rispen, Theo T. and Hettinga, Kasper A. and van Gils, Marit J. and Heck, Albert J.R. and van Goudoever, Johannes, Breastmilk: A Source of SARS-CoV-2 Specific IgA Antibodies (6/19/2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3633123 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3633123
Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht
Division Infectious Diseases & Immunology / Laboratory of Virology, Department Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University
Division Infectious Diseases & Immunology / Laboratory of Virology, Department Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University
Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht
Download This Paper