Abstract
The presence of non-neutralizing antibodies of any dengue serotype, increase the severity of subsequent infection by other dengue serotypes. During SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the number of symptomatic dengue cases increased in India. The cross-reactivity of dengue with SARS-CoV-2 is well reported. We investigated the potential of SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies to modulate dengue infection. In-silico and In-vitro studies revealed protein-protein interactions between the spike antibodies and the dengue envelope protein. Convalescent plasma from COVID-19 patients and SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal/polyclonal antibodies showed cross-reactivity and impact on dengue infection in cell-based assays. Furthermore, increased dengue viral load was observed in serum, liver, and spleen of mice coinfected with dengue and SARS-CoV-2, compared to only dengue infected animals. Collectively, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies can cross-react with and enhance dengue infectivity. These findings have significant implications for SARS-CoV-2 monitoring and patient management in dengue-endemic regions.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Minior correction in the figures list numbers
