In Vitro Characterization and In Vivo Effectiveness of Ebola Virus Specific Equine Polyclonal F(ab')2

J Infect Dis. 2019 Jun 5;220(1):41-45. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiz068.

Abstract

There is no vaccine or approved therapy against lethal Ebola virus (EBOV). We investigated a proven technology platform to produce polyclonal IgG fragments, F(ab')2, against EBOV. Horses immunized with nanoparticles harboring surface glycoprotein trimers of EBOV-Zaire/Makona produced anti-Ebola IgG polyclonal antibodies with high neutralization activity. Highly purified equine anti-Ebola F(ab')2 showed strong cross-neutralization of 2 Zaire EBOV strains (Gabon 2001 and Makona) and in vivo 3 or 5 daily F(ab')2 intraperitoneal injections provided 100% protection to BALB/c mice against lethal EBOV challenge. Rapid preparation of purified equine anti-Ebola F(ab')2 offers a potentially efficient therapeutic approach against EBOV disease in humans.

Keywords: Ebola; F(ab′)2 fragments; equine; immunoglobulins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Ebolavirus / immunology*
  • Female
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / immunology*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / veterinary
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / virology
  • Horses / immunology*
  • Horses / virology*
  • Immunization / methods
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Vaccination / methods

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments
  • Immunoglobulin G