PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alturaiki, Wael
TI  - The role of cross-reactive immunity to emerging coronaviruses
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2023.44.10.20230375
DP  - 2023 Oct 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 965--972
VI  - 44
IP  - 10
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/44/10/965.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/44/10/965.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2023 Oct 01; 44
AB  - Host immune response to coronaviruses and the role of cross-reactivity immunity among different coronaviruses are crucial for understanding and combating the continuing COVID-19 outbreak and potential subsequent pandemics. This review paper explores how previous exposure to common cold coronaviruses and more pathogenic coronaviruses may elicit a protective immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection, and discusses the challenges posed by some variants of concern that may escape current vaccines. It also highlights the need for a mucosal universal vaccine that can induce long-term protection against current and emerging coronaviruses by leveraging cross-reactive immunity. We propose a novel mucosal universal vaccine that consists of cross-reactive antigenic peptides with highly conserved epitopes among coronaviruses, conjugated with an immunostimulant adjuvant cytokine, including B-cell activating factor (BAFF). This vaccine may enhance the local mucosal adaptive response, induce tissue-resident memory cells, and inhibit viral replication and clearance. However, further research is required to evaluate its safety and efficacy.