Combining spike- and nucleocapsid-based vaccines improves distal control of SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes respiratory insufficiency and neurological manifestations, including loss of smell and psychiatric disorders, and can be fatal. Most vaccines are based on the spike antigen alone, and although they have shown efficacy at preventing severe disease and death, they do not always confer sterilizing immunity. Here, we interrogate whether SARS-CoV-2 vaccines could be improved by incorporating nucleocapsid as an antigen. We show that, after 72 h of challenge, a spike-based vaccine confers acute protection in the lung, but not in the brain. However, combining a spike-based vaccine with a nucleocapsid-based vaccine confers acute protection in both the lung and brain. These findings suggest that nucleocapsid-specific immunity can improve the distal control of SARS-CoV-2, warranting the inclusion of nucleocapsid in next-generation COVID-19 vaccines.

Automated summary

Incorporating nucleocapsid as an antigen in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines can improve acute protection in both the lungs and brain, suggesting the inclusion of nucleocapsid in next-generation COVID-19 vaccines is warranted. This finding provides important insights for the development of future vaccines against COVID-19.