Progress and prospect of SARS-CoV-2 NTD-specific antibodies

<p indent="0mm">The SARS-CoV-2 N-terminal domain (NTD)-specific antibody exhibits quite different characteristics <italic>in vitro</italic>, aimed at combating viral infections. It can act either as a neutralizer, inhibiting virus entry into target cells, or as a helper, facilitating virus entry. Therefore, it is crucial to make good use of NTD-specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review summarized the biological characteristics and current progress of NTD-specific antibodies, and addressed the relationship between their different functions and diverse binding epitopes. With the continuous emergence of various SARS-CoV-2 variants, it is very necessary to deeply study the NTD-specific antibodies. These studies will be useful for understanding the characteristics of antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and provide theoretical basis for the development of antiviral strategies.