Monoclonal antibodies against the nucleocapsid proteins of henipaviruses: production, epitope mapping and application in immunohistochemistry

Arch Virol. 2008;153(2):273-81. doi: 10.1007/s00705-007-1079-x. Epub 2007 Nov 5.

Abstract

Four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated by immunizing BALB/C mice with recombinant nucleocapsid protein (N) of Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) expressed in E. coli. Two mAbs each were obtained for the HeV N and NiV N, respectively. All four mAbs displayed specific reactivity with the recombinant N proteins of both viruses by western blot, which was further confirmed by immunofluorescent antibody assay using fixed insect cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses expressing either the HeV or NiV N protein. Epitope mapping using a 12-mer random peptide phage display library revealed two linear antigenic sites of the henipavirus N proteins, KLxR (aa 17-20) and FKREM (aa 446-450), which have not been reported previously. Two of the mAbs were able to specifically recognize HeV antigens by immunohistochemical staining of lung tissue sections of a horse experimentally infected with HeV. These reagents will be a useful addition to the collection of tools essential for further research and improvement in diagnosis of henipaviruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / isolation & purification
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / isolation & purification
  • Epitope Mapping*
  • Female
  • Hendra Virus / immunology*
  • Henipavirus Infections / pathology
  • Henipavirus Infections / virology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / virology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nipah Virus / immunology*
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / immunology
  • Peptide Library
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Peptide Library
  • Recombinant Proteins