Serotype-specific and cross-reactive neutralizing antibody responses in cynomolgus monkeys after infection with multiple dengue virus serotypes

Neutralizing antibody responses were examined in monkeys after dengue virus infections. In monkeys that had been infected once or twice with DENV-2, neutralizing antibody was cross-reactive with all four serotypes after secondary or tertiary infection with DENV-3. In monkeys that had been inoculated with DENV-1 and DENV-2 in the primary and secondary infections, neutralizing antibody titers did not increase after tertiary infection with DENV-3. These results indicate that antibody responses after secondary and tertiary infections with different serotypes are cross-reactive with all four serotypes, consistent with what has been observed in humans, and suggest that monkeys are useful for determining neutralizing antibody responses.     

Neutralizing antibody response variation against dengue 3 strains

To evaluate the neutralizing antibody activity of a human sera panel against seven strains of the homotypic virus. Sera were collected from DENV-3 immune individuals. Two DENV-3 genotypes and strains isolated at different time-points during the 2000 and 2001-2002 Havana epidemics were included. A panel of 20 late convalescent sera collected 16-18 months after acute illness from DF and DHF patients are studied. These individuals were infected during the 2001-2002 Havana DENV-3 epidemic. All but four sera collected from DF cases had a secondary DENV-1/DENV-3 infection. Sera neutralizing antibody titer against the seven DENV-3 strains were determined by plaque reduction neutralization technique. Sera samples were tested simultaneously. Studied sera showed higher levels of neutralizing antibodies to DENV-3 strains of genotype III compared to genotype V. Interesting, higher levels of neutralizing antibodies were detected to DENV-3 strain isolated at the end of the epidemic 2001-2002. An increased tendency of GMT of neutralizing antibodies according to epidemic evolution was observed for the 2001-2002 outbreak. In general, antibody levels in sera collected from DF cases were higher. Differences in the neutralization capacity of immune DENV-3 sera tested against two homologous genotypes including strains of the same genotype are demonstrated. Observed results suggest that virus changed in the course of the epidemic. The implications of this finding in terms of dengue pathogenesis and vaccine development need to be considered.     

Type specificity of complement-requiring and immunoglobulin M neutralizing antibody in initial herpes simplex virus infections of humans.

Studies comparing the enhancing effect of guinea pig complement on homotypic and heterotypic neutralizing antibodies produced in initial herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections of humans indicated that antibodies to HSV type 1 and HSV type 2 were enhanced to about the same extent, and there was no signigicant difference in the degree to which complement enhanced homotypic and heterotypic HSV-neutralizing antibody. Homotypic and heterotypic immunoglobulin G neutralizing antibodies were enhanced by complement to as great, or greater, an extent as immunoglobulin M (IgM) HSV antibodies in the same sera. In patients with initial HSV type 1 infections, the IgM neutralizing antibody response was type specific. On the other hand, patients with initial HSV type 2 infections produced both homotypic and heterotypic IgM neutralizing antibody. An initial HSV type 2 infection in an individual previously infected with HSV type 1 elicited the production of IgM neutralizing antibody to both HSV type 1 and HSV type 2. However, patients with recurrent HSV type 1 infections failed to produce IgM antibody to either HSV type during reactivation of the virus.     

重组登革病毒E蛋白结构域Ⅲ抑制登革病毒感染的初步研究

目的 了解原核表达的登革病毒(dengue virus, DV)的E蛋白结构域Ⅲ直接抑制登革病毒感染及其抗体的中和作用.方法 在大肠埃希菌中表达1~4型登革病毒E蛋白结构域Ⅲ(EⅢ).重组蛋白纯化后,进行阻断DV-2感染BHK~21细胞试验.用重组蛋白制备免疫血清,检测抗体中和作用.结果 在大肠埃希菌中成功表达了1-4型登革病毒E蛋白结构域埃希菌,4型重组E蛋白结构域Ⅲ均能够阻断2型DV感染,4型重组蛋白的免疫血清均能中和2型DV,但中和抗体效价不同.结论 原核表达的登革病毒结构域Ⅲ可以直接抑制病毒感染,所产生的抗体具有中和作用.直接抑制和中和抗体均对同型病毒作用较强.     

Profiles of antibody-dependent enhancement of dengue virus type 2 infection

Antibody-dependent infection enhancement (ADE) was studied with P-388D1 mouse macrophage-like cells, 21 dengue virus type 2 (DEN-2) strains, and 8 monoclonal antibodies reactive with flavivirus group-specific or dengue serotype-specific determinants. Testing a constant number of virions against serial dilutions of antibody for their ability to infect P-388D1 cells, a reproducible 'enhancement profile' was observed. The profile was characterized by (1) appearance, peak, decline, and disappearance of infection enhancement when antibody-containing ascitic fluids were diluted beyond the neutralizing endpoint, and (2) evolution over an approximate 10,000-fold dilutional range. The profiles were similar regardless of whether viruses were complexed with antibody at flavivirus group or serotype determinants, but the antibody dilution at which infection enhancement was maximal varied with the neutralization titer of the antibody. Neutralization and antibody-dependent enhancement of dengue infection appear to be biological outcomes of interactions between antibodies and single viral epitopes at different antibody: virus ratios.     

Antibody-dependent enhancement of heterotypic dengue infections involved in suppression of IFNgamma production

Antibody-dependent enhancement has been implicated in some outbreaks of epidemic dengue hemorrhagic fever, however, the mechanism of antibody-dependent enhancement is not well known. This study was conducted to investigate the cross-protection and cross-enhancement of dengue-2 virus infections by dengue-1 immune sera. It was found that dengue-1 immune sera at 1:5 dilution (n = 12) could neutralize dengue-2 infections in BHK-21 cells, as assessed by a standard plaque-reduction neutralization assay. Two-thirds of the dengue-1 immune sera at 1:25 dilution demonstrated neutralizing effects for dengue-2 infections, whereas, non-immune sera revealed no neutralization for dengue-2 infections in BHK-21 cells. Human mononuclear leukocytes in response to dengue-2 infections elicited a T cell helper 1 (Th1) response revealing induction of IFNgamma but not IL-4 production. Dengue-1 immune sera did not neutralize dengue-2 infections in mononuclear leukocytes. Subneutralizing titers of dengue-1 immune sera at 1:250, but not at 1:10 dilution, enhanced dengue-2 infections in mononuclear leukocytes (1.2 +/- 0.7 x 10(4) vs. 2.8 +/- 0.3 x 10(2) PFU/ml). The enhancement of dengue-2 infections in mononuclear leukocytes by dengue-1 immune sera at 1:250 was associated with an increase in the lymphocyte proliferation index, and a decrease in IFNgamma production (56 +/- 24 vs. 12 +/- 3 pg/ml). The addition of IFNgamma (0.1 microg/ml) suppressed significantly the antibody-dependent enhancement induced by dengue-1 immune sera, whereas the presence of anti-IFNgamma F(ab)2 antibody augmented the antibody-dependent enhancement effect. Results from this study suggest that suppression of Th1 response may be involved in the antibody-dependent enhancement of heterotypic dengue infections. Better regulation of Th1/Th2 reactions may be useful for prevention of heterotypic immune enhancement of dengue infections.     

A plasmid encoding parts of the dengue virus E and NS1 proteins induces an immune response in a mouse model

A DENV-2 plasmid named pEII*EIII/NS1*, containing sequences encoding portions of the envelope protein that are potentially involved in the induction of neutralizing antibodies and a portion of the NS1 sequence that is involved in protection, is reported in this work. The synthesized subunit protein was recognized by human sera from infected patients and had the predicted size. The immunogenicity of this construct was evaluated using a mouse model in a prime-boost vaccination approach. The priming was performed using the plasmid pEII*EIII/NS1*, followed by a boost with recombinant full-length GST–E and GST–NS1 fusion proteins. The mice showed specific antibody responses to the E and NS1 proteins, as detected by ELISA, compared to the response of animals vaccinated with the parental plasmid. Interestingly, some animals had neutralizing antibodies. These results show that EII*, EIII and NS1* sequences could be considered for the design of a recombinant subunit vaccine against dengue disease.     

Neutralizing antibodies to heterologous animal rotavirus serotypes 5, 6, 7, and 10 in sera from Ecuadorian children.

Serum samples from 870 Ecuadorian children who underwent natural rotavirus exposure were tested for neutralizing serum antibody to heterologous animal rotavirus (RV) serotypes. Six percent of the sera neutralized porcine RV OSU (serotype 5), 10% neutralized bovine RV NCDV (serotype 6), 4% neutralized avian RV Ch-2 (serotype 7), and 8% neutralized bovine RV V1005 (serotype 10). Neutralization was defined as a 90% reduction in infectious virus at a 1:100 serum dilution. The prevalence of antibody to all four heterotypic viruses increased with the age of the children and the number of human RV serotypes neutralized, but prevalences did not differ significantly between children from rural and urban areas of Ecuador. No serum sample that specifically neutralized bovine RV NCDV was identified. We inferred from the seroepidemiological analysis that human RVs contain immunorecessive neutralization epitopes that can stimulate cross-neutralizing antibody to heterotypic animal RVs. This occurs increasingly with age and with the number of human serotypes recognized by a child's neutralizing antibody. Thus, it appears that a broadened immune response to the heterotypic strains occurs with repetitive RV infections.     

Neutralizing antibody responses to varicella-zoster virus.

Neutralization of varicella-zoster (V-Z) virus by human sera and immune rhesus monkey sera was enhanced by fresh guinea pig complement. There was no marked difference in the degree to which complement enhanced neutralization by sera from current V-Z virus infections and sera from long-past varicella infections. Immunoglobulin G neutralizing antibody in sera from varicella cases was enhanced by complement to a slightly higher degree than was immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody, and immunoglobulin G neutralizing antibody in immune monkey sera was enhanced to a much greater degree than was IgM antibody. There was a rapid decline in the complement requirement of IgM neutralizing antibodies over the course of immunization of the rhesus monkeys. V-Z neutralizing antibody titers in the presence of complement were higher than complement-fixing titers of the same sera in all groups of individuals studied. IgM neutralizing antibody for V-Z virus was demonstrable in all cases of varicella but in only 1 of 22 zoster cases, and V-Z IgM neutralizing antibody was not detectable in primary herpes simplex virus infections in which heterotypic antibody titer rises occurred to V-Z virus. Complement-fixing antibody for V-Z virus was absent in 19S serum fractions which contained IgM neutralizing antibody for the virus.     

A consensus envelope protein domain III can induce neutralizing antibody responses against serotype 2 of dengue virus in non-human primates

We have previously demonstrated that vaccination with a subunit dengue vaccine containing a consensus envelope domain III with aluminum phosphate elicits neutralizing antibodies against all four serotypes of dengue virus in mice. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity of the subunit dengue vaccine in non-human primates. After vaccination, monkeys that received the subunit vaccine with aluminum phosphate developed a significantly strong and long-lasting antibody response. A specific T cell response with cytokine production was also induced, and this correlated with the antibody response. Additionally, neutralizing antibodies against serotype 2 were detected in two of three monkeys. The increase in serotype-2-specific antibody titers and avidity observed in these two monkeys suggested that a serotype-2-biased antibody response occurs. These data provide evidence that a protective neutralizing antibody response was successfully elicited in non-human primates by the dengue subunit vaccine with aluminum phosphate adjuvant.     

Dengue virus specific T cell responses to live attenuated monovalent dengue-2 and tetravalent dengue vaccines

The proliferative T cell responses to dengue vaccines were studied using the parental strains of dengue vaccines as antigens in 26 dengue immune individuals who resided in Bangkok which is the endemic area of dengue infection. The magnitude of the T cell responses in subjects with flavivirus cross-reactive neutralizing antibody was much higher and the cross-reactivity was broader than in those with dengue serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies, Japanese encephalitis (JE) specific antibodies or dengue cross-reactive antibodies. The T cell response in those with neutralizing antibody against a single serotype or in those who had dengue cross-reactive neutralizing antibody was relatively low, independent of the level or degree of cross-reactivity of the antibody. Evaluation of the proliferative T cell responses in 8 recipients of the monovalent dengue-2 (16681-PDK53) or the tetravalent dengue vaccines demonstrated that both vaccines induced high levels of neutralizing antibody as well as high levels of T cell responses to all serotypes of dengue virus. These results indicate that the evaluated dengue vaccines efficiently induced humoral and cell mediated immunity comparable to natural infection with dengue virus.     

Detection of dengue virus neutralizing antibodies in bats from Costa Rica and Ecuador

Neutralizing antibodies for dengue virus serotypes 1 and 2 and serotypes 2 and 3 were detected in 1998 in 12 of 53 (22.6%) and 3 of 10 (30.0%) bats sampled in Costa Rica and Ecuador, respectively. Dengue is a consistent health problem in the two Costa Rican communities in which bats were sampled. The high percentage of bats with neutralizing antibodies to dengue virus in these two Costa Rican communities suggests that bats may become infected with dengue virus. This appears to be the case in Costa Rica and Ecuador.     

Antibodies from patients with dengue viral infection mediate cellular cytotoxicity.

Acute and late convalescent sera (collected at day 5 of disease onset and 1 year later) from dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS) laboratory confirmed cases, were tested for antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity using dengue 1 (DENV-1) or dengue 2 (DENV-2) infected cells as target. All patients experienced their first dengue virus (DENV) infection 20 years before. ADCC activity was detected in acute sera from DHF/DSS but not in sera from DF patients. However, 1 year after illness, ADCC activity was observed in all cases. This preliminary report represents one of the few studies of ADCC in dengue patients and suggests that ADCC could be implicated in dengue pathogenesis.     

登革2型病毒ZS01/01株病毒样颗粒免疫原性研究

目的 研究登革2型病毒（Dengue virus type 2,DENV-2）病毒样颗粒（virus-Like particles,VLPs）的免疫原性.方法 利用已构建的DENV-2 ZS01/01株病毒样颗粒的表达质粒转染293T细胞,对分泌型VLPs进行大量培养并通过蔗糖密度梯度离心法对其进行纯化.纯化的VLPs经Western Blot及透射电镜观察等方法鉴定后免疫BALB/c小鼠.利用ELISA及中和试验等方法对体液免疫反应进行检测,ELISPOT法测定细胞免疫水平.结果 登革2型病毒样颗粒表达质粒转染哺乳动物细胞所得上清经蔗糖密度梯度离心后,电镜下可观察到类似于天然登革病毒的大小在45～55nm之间的病毒样颗粒.体液及细胞免疫检测结果显示登革2型VLPs可以刺激小鼠产生较高水平的登革E蛋白特异性抗体及一定水平的中和抗体,免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞经体外刺激后IFN-γ水平显著升高.结论 登革2型病毒病毒样颗粒免疫BALB/c小鼠后可引起一定水平的细胞免疫及体液免疫反应,该研究结果为四价登革病毒样颗粒疫苗的研制奠定了基础.     

Immunogenicity of a Psoralen-Inactivated Dengue Virus Type 1 Vaccine Candidate in Mice

We evaluated a novel psoralen-inactivated dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) vaccine candidate in Mus musculus mice. Mice received intradermal alum or 5 to 10 ng of psoralen-inactivated virus. Anti-DENV-1 neutralizing antibody was detectable in 10/11 mice receiving a 10-ng dose at 90 days. Psoralen-inactivated DENV-1 is immunogenic in mice.Dengue viruses consist of four distinct RNA viruses of the genus Flaviviridae and are transmitted to humans primarily through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Prior dengue virus infection is a major risk factor for the subsequent development of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) following reinfection with a heterotypic dengue virus serotype. Dengue virus vaccine development has thus been hindered by the competing needs to develop a vaccine that provides lasting and uniform protection against all four serotypes without predisposing recipients to an increased risk of DHF and DSS.Psoralens are photoreactive compounds that freely permeate phospholipid membranes and intercalate between nucleic acids. Following exposure to UV-A radiation, the intercalated psoralen covalently cross-links pyrimidine residues, leading to viral inactivation through the inhibition of genome replication. The interaction of psoralen with viral nucleic acids leaves immunogenic surface epitopes intact (4).In this study, we photoinactivated the dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) Western Pacific 74 strain with three different psoralens: 4′-aminomethyltrioxsalen hydrochloride (AMT; product number A4330, CAS number 62442-61-9; Sigma-Aldrich), 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP; catalog number 214150010, CAS number 298-81-7; Acros Organics), and 4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (TMP; catalog number 229881000, CAS number 3902-71-4; Acros Organics). We then determined the immunogenicity of AMT-inactivated DENV-1 in Mus musculus mice.(The data provided here were presented in part as a poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, New Orleans, LA, 7 to 11 December 2008.)     

Induced autophagy reduces virus output in dengue infected monocytic cells

While several studies have shown a role for autophagy in the replication of dengue virus (DENV), these studies have been performed in directly infected cells. However, in severe cases of DENV infection the critical cell in the disease is believed to be monocytes which are poorly infected directly, but are highly susceptible to antibody enhanced infection. This study sought to determine the involvement of autophagy in the DENV infection of monocytic cells, using U937 cells as a model system. While the induction of autophagy was seen in response to DENV-2 infection, biochemical induction of autophagy resulted in a significant decrease in virus output. Down regulation of autophagy resulted in only a very slight increase in intracellular virus levels. In monocytic cells autophagy is not a significant part of the DENV replication mechanism, and there are distinct cell type specific differences in the DENV-autophagy interaction.     

In silico prediction of monovalent and chimeric tetravalent vaccines for prevention and treatment of dengue fever

Reverse vaccinology method was used to predict the monovalent peptide vaccine candidate to produce antibodies for therapeutic purpose and to predict tetravalent vaccine candidate to act as a common vaccine to cover all the dengue virus serotypes. Envelope (E)-proteins of DENV-1-4 serotypes were used for vaccine prediction using NCBI, Uniprot/Swissprot, Swiss-prot viewer, VaxiJen V2.0, TMHMM, BCPREDS, Propred-1, Propred and MHC Pred. Eproteins of DENV-1-4 serotypes were identified as antigen from which T cell epitopes, through B cell epitopes, were predicted to act as peptide vaccine candidates. Each selected T cell epitope of E-protein was confirmed to act as vaccine and to induce complementary antibody against particular serotype of dengue virus. Chimeric tetravalent vaccine was formed by the conjugation of four vaccines, each from four dengue serotypes to act as a common vaccine candidate for all the four dengue serotypes. It can be justifiably concluded that the monovalent 9-mer T cell epitope for each DENV serotype can be used to produce specific antibody against dengue virus and a chimeric common tetravalent vaccine candidate to yield a comparative vaccine to cover any of the four dengue virus serotype. This vaccine is expected to be highly immunogenic against dengue fever.     

The structural basis for serotype-specific neutralization of dengue virus by a human antibody

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that affects 2.5 billion people worldwide. There are four dengue serotypes (DENV1 to DENV4), and infection with one elicits lifelong immunity to that serotype but offers only transient protection against the other serotypes. Identification of the protective determinants of the human antibody response to DENV is a vital requirement for the design and evaluation of future preventative therapies and treatments. Here, we describe the isolation of a neutralizing antibody from a DENV1-infected patient. The human antibody 14c10 (HM14c10) binds specifically to DENV1. HM14c10 neutralizes the virus principally by blocking virus attachment; at higher concentrations, a post-attachment step can also be inhibited. In vivo studies show that the HM14c10 antibody has antiviral activity at picomolar concentrations. A 7 ? resolution cryoelectron microscopy map of Fab fragments of HM14c10 in a complex with DENV1 shows targeting of a discontinuous epitope that spans the adjacent surface of envelope protein dimers. As found previously, a human antibody specific for the related West Nile virus binds to a similar quaternary structure, suggesting that this could be an immunodominant epitope. These findings provide a structural and molecular context for durable, serotype-specific immunity to DENV infection.