Broad neutralization coverage of HIV by multiple highly potent antibodies.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies against highly variable viral pathogens are much sought after to treat or protect against global circulating viruses. Here we probed the neutralizing antibody repertoires of four human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected donors with remarkably broad and potent neutralizing responses and rescued 17 new monoclonal antibodies that neutralize broadly across clades. Many of the new monoclonal antibodies are almost tenfold more potent than the recently described PG9, PG16 and VRC01 broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and 100-fold more potent than the original prototype HIV broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. The monoclonal antibodies largely recapitulate the neutralization breadth found in the corresponding donor serum and many recognize novel epitopes on envelope (Env) glycoprotein gp120, illuminating new targets for vaccine design. Analysis of neutralization by the full complement of anti-HIV broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies now available reveals that certain combinations of antibodies should offer markedly more favourable coverage of the enormous diversity of global circulating viruses than others and these combinations might be sought in active or passive immunization regimes. Overall, the isolation of multiple HIV broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies from several donors that, in aggregate, provide broad coverage at low concentrations is a highly positive indicator for the eventual design of an effective antibody-based HIV vaccine.

Human antibodies reveal a protective epitope that is highly conserved among human and nonhuman influenza A viruses.

Influenza remains a serious public health threat throughout the world. Vaccines and antivirals are available that can provide protection from infection. However, new viral strains emerge continuously because of the plasticity of the influenza genome, which necessitates annual reformulation of vaccine antigens, and resistance to antivirals can appear rapidly and become entrenched in circulating virus populations. In addition, the spread of new pandemic strains is difficult to contain because of the time required to engineer and manufacture effective vaccines. Monoclonal antibodies that target highly conserved viral epitopes might offer an alternative protection paradigm. Herein we describe the isolation of a panel of monoclonal antibodies derived from the IgG(+) memory B cells of healthy, human subjects that recognize a previously unknown conformational epitope within the ectodomain of the influenza matrix 2 protein, M2e. This antibody binding region is highly conserved in influenza A viruses, being present in nearly all strains detected to date, including highly pathogenic viruses that infect primarily birds and swine, and the current 2009 swine-origin H1N1 pandemic strain (S-OIV). Furthermore, these human anti-M2e monoclonal antibodies protect mice from lethal challenges with either H5N1 or H1N1 influenza viruses. These results suggest that viral M2e can elicit broadly cross-reactive and protective antibodies in humans. Accordingly, recombinant forms of these human antibodies may provide useful therapeutic agents to protect against infection from a broad spectrum of influenza A strains.

Broad and potent neutralizing antibodies from an African donor reveal a new HIV-1 vaccine target.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), which develop over time in some HIV-1-infected individuals, define critical epitopes for HIV vaccine design. Using a systematic approach, we have examined neutralization breadth in the sera of about 1800 HIV-1-infected individuals, primarily infected with non-clade B viruses, and have selected donors for monoclonal antibody (mAb) generation. We then used a high-throughput neutralization screen of antibody-containing culture supernatants from about 30,000 activated memory B cells from a clade A-infected African donor to isolate two potent mAbs that target a broadly neutralizing epitope. This epitope is preferentially expressed on trimeric Envelope protein and spans conserved regions of variable loops of the gp120 subunit. The results provide a framework for the design of new vaccine candidates for the elicitation of bNAb responses.

Generation and characterization of human monoclonal neutralizing antibodies with distinct binding and sequence features against SARS coronavirus using XenoMouse.

Passive therapy with neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) could be an effective therapy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Utilizing the human immunoglobulin transgenic mouse, XenoMouse, we produced fully human SARS-CoV spike (S) protein specific antibodies. Antibodies were examined for reactivity against a recombinant S1 protein, to which 200 antibodies reacted. Twenty-seven antibodies neutralized 200TCID(50) SARS-CoV (Urbani). Additionally, 57 neutralizing antibodies were found that are likely specific to S2. Mapping of the binding region was achieved with several S1 recombinant proteins. Most S1 reactive neutralizing mAbs bound to the RBD, aa 318-510. However, two S1 specific mAbs reacted with a domain upstream of the RBD between aa 12 and 261. Immunoglobulin gene sequence analyses suggested at least 8 different binding specificities. Unique human mAbs could be used as a cocktail that would simultaneously target several neutralizing epitopes and prevent emergence of escape mutants.

Recognition of human cytomegalovirus by human primary immunoglobulins identifies an innate foundation to an adaptive immune response.

Most primates, including humans, are chronically infected with cospecifically evolved, potentially pathogenic CMV. Abs that bind a 10-aa linear epitope (antigenic determinant 2 site 1) within the extracellular domain of human CMV glycoprotein B neutralize viral infectivity. In this study, we show that genes generated by recombinations involving two well-conserved human germline V elements (IGHV3-30 and IGKV3-11), and IGHJ4, encode primary Ig molecules that bind glycoprotein B at this key epitope. These particular V(H), J(H), and V(kappa) genes enable humans to generate through recombination and N nucleotide addition, a useful frequency of primary Igs that efficiently target this critical site on human CMV and thus confer an innate foundation for a specific adaptive response to this pathogen.