Development of rapid antigen test prototype for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples

  • Agnija Kivrane Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Street 1, k–1, Riga, LV1067, Latvia; and Riga Stradins University, Dzirciema Street 16, Riga, LV1007, Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8284-2011
  • Viktorija Igumnova Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Street 1, k–1, Riga, LV1067, Latvia; and Riga Stradins University, Dzirciema Street 16, Riga, LV1007, Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5028-2718
  • Elza Elizabete Liepina Riga Stradins University, Dzirciema Street 16, Riga, LV1007, Latvia
  • Dace Skrastina Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Street 1, k–1, Riga, LV1067, Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5836-6441
  • Ainars Leonciks Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Street 1, k–1, Riga, LV1067, Latvia
  • Zanna Rudevica Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Street 1, k–1, Riga, LV1067, Latvia
  • Svjatoslavs Kistkins Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Pilsonu street 13, Riga, LV1002, Latvia
  • Aigars Reinis Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Pilsonu street 13, Riga, LV1002, Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3671-1213
  • Anna Zilde Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Pilsonu street 13, Riga, LV1002, Latvia
  • Andris Kazaks Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Street 1, k–1, Riga, LV1067, Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4964-0984
  • Renate Ranka Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Street 1, k–1, Riga, LV1067, Latvia; and Riga Stradins University, Dzirciema Street 16, Riga, LV1007, Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3716-7950
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48101/ujms.v127.8207
Keywords: Lateral flow assay, ELISA, COVID-19, polyclonal antibodies, antigen test, point-of-care testing

Abstract

Background: The development of easy-to-perform diagnostic methods is highly important for detecting current coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This pilot study aimed at developing a lateral flow assay (LFA)-based test prototype to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus in saliva samples.

Methods: Mice were immunized using the recombinant receptor-binding domain (rRBD) of SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein. The combinations of the obtained mouse anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) and several commercial antibodies directed against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were used for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to select antibody pairs for LFA. The antibody pairs were tested in a LFA format using saliva samples from individuals with early SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 9). The diagnostic performance of the developed LFA was evaluated using saliva samples from hospitalized COVID-19 patients (n = 111); the median time from the onset of symptoms to sample collection was 10 days (0–24 days, interquartile range (IQR): 7–13). The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) was used as a reference method.

Results: Based on ELISA and preliminary LFA results, a combination of mouse anti-RBD PAbs (capture antibody) and rabbit anti-spike PAbs (detection antibody) was chosen for clinical analysis of sample. When compared with rRT-PCR results, LFA exhibited 26.5% sensitivity, 58.1% specificity, 50.0% positive prediction value (PPV), 33.3% negative prediction value (NPV), and 38.7% diagnostic accuracy. However, there was a reasonable improvement in assay specificity (85.7%) and PPV (91.7%) when samples were stratified based on the sampling time.

Conclusion: The developed LFA assay demonstrated a potential of SARS-CoV-2 detection in saliva samples. Further technical assay improvements should be made to enhance diagnostic performance followed by a validation study in a larger cohort of both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients in the early stage of infection.

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Published
2022-02-25
How to Cite
Kivrane A., Igumnova V., Liepina E. E., Skrastina D., Leonciks A., Rudevica Z., Kistkins S., Reinis A., Zilde A., Kazaks A., & Ranka R. (2022). Development of rapid antigen test prototype for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples. Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences, 127(1). https://doi.org/10.48101/ujms.v127.8207
Issue
Vol. 127 (2022): Upsala J Med Sci
Section
Original Articles
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