Antibody-dependent-cellular-cytotoxicity-inducing antibodies significantly affect the post-exposure treatment of Ebola virus infection

Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 30:7:45552. doi: 10.1038/srep45552.

Abstract

Passive immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is an efficacious treatment for Ebola virus (EBOV) infections in animal models and humans. Understanding what constitutes a protective response is critical for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. We generated an EBOV-glycoprotein-pseudotyped Human immunodeficiency virus to develop sensitive neutralizing and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assays as well as a bioluminescent-imaging-based mouse infection model that does not require biosafety level 4 containment. The in vivo treatment efficiencies of three novel anti-EBOV mAbs at 12 h post-infection correlated with their in vitro anti-EBOV ADCC activities, without neutralizing activity. When they were treated with these mAbs, natural killer cell (NK)-deficient mice had lower viral clearance than WT mice, indicating that the anti-EBOV mechanism of the ADCC activity of these mAbs is predominantly mediated by NK cells. One potent anti-EBOV mAb (M318) displayed unprecedented neutralizing and ADCC activities (neutralization IC50, 0.018 μg/ml; ADCC EC50, 0.095 μg/ml). These results have important implications for the efficacy of antiviral drugs and vaccines as well as for pathogenicity studies of EBOV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Viral / administration & dosage
  • Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / drug therapy*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral