A potent anti-dengue human antibody preferentially recognizes the conformation of E protein monomers assembled on the virus surface

EMBO Mol Med. 2014 Mar;6(3):358-71. doi: 10.1002/emmm.201303404. Epub 2014 Jan 13.

Abstract

Dengue virus (DENV), which consists of four serotypes (DENV1-4), infects over 400 million people annually. Previous studies have indicated most human monoclonal antibodies (HMAbs) from dengue patients are cross-reactive and poorly neutralizing. Rare neutralizing HMAbs are usually serotype-specific and bind to quaternary structure-dependent epitopes. We determined the structure of DENV1 complexed with Fab fragments of a highly potent HMAb 1F4 to 6 Å resolution by cryo-EM. Although HMAb 1F4 appeared to bind to virus and not E proteins in ELISAs in the previous study, our structure showed that the epitope is located within an envelope (E) protein monomer, and not across neighboring E proteins. The Fab molecules bind to domain I (DI), and DI-DII hinge of the E protein. We also showed that HMAb 1F4 can neutralize DENV at different stages of viral entry in a cell type and receptor dependent manner. The structure reveals the mechanism by which this potent and specific antibody blocks viral infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Cell Line
  • Dengue / drug therapy
  • Dengue / veterinary
  • Dengue Virus / metabolism*
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / immunology
  • Mice
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology*
  • Virus Internalization / drug effects

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • E protein TH Sman, Dengue virus

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AAK01233
  • GENBANK/ADA00411
  • GENBANK/AY676376
  • PDB/1OAN
  • PDB/1TG8
  • PDB/1UZG
  • PDB/3J27
  • PDB/4AZX
  • PDB/4C2I