Dengue virus specific IgY provides protection following lethal dengue virus challenge and is neutralizing in the absence of inducing antibody dependent enhancement

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Jul 7;11(7):e0005721. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005721. eCollection 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) are severe disease manifestations that can occur following sequential infection with different dengue virus serotypes (DENV1-4). At present, there are no licensed therapies to treat DENV-induced disease. DHF and DSS are thought to be mediated by serotype cross-reactive antibodies that facilitate antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) by binding to viral antigens and then Fcγ receptors (FcγR) on target myeloid cells. Using genetically engineered DENV-specific antibodies, it has been shown that the interaction between the Fc portion of serotype cross-reactive antibodies and FcγR is required to induce ADE. Additionally, it was demonstrated that these antibodies were as neutralizing as their non-modified variants, were incapable of inducing ADE, and were therapeutic following a lethal, antibody-enhanced infection. Therefore, we hypothesized that avian IgY, which do not interact with mammalian FcγR, would provide a novel therapy for DENV-induced disease. We demonstrate here that goose-derived anti-DENV2 IgY neutralized DENV2 and did not induce ADE in vitro. Anti-DENV2 IgY was also protective in vivo when administered 24 hours following a lethal DENV2 infection. We were also able to demonstrate via epitope mapping that both full-length and alternatively spliced anti-DENV2 IgY recognized different epitopes, including epitopes that have not been previously identified. These observations provide evidence for the potential therapeutic applications of goose-derived anti-DENV2 IgY.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / administration & dosage*
  • Antibodies, Viral / administration & dosage*
  • Antibody-Dependent Enhancement / immunology*
  • Cell Line
  • Cross Reactions
  • Dengue Virus
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Female
  • Geese
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins / administration & dosage*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Severe Dengue / immunology
  • Severe Dengue / prevention & control*
  • Vaccination
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • IgY
  • Immunoglobulins
  • Viral Envelope Proteins