An influenza HA stalk reactive polymeric IgA antibody exhibits anti-viral function regulated by binary interaction between HA and the antibody

PLoS One. 2021 Jan 7;16(1):e0245244. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245244. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

IgA antibodies, which are secreted onto the mucosal surface as secretory IgA antibodies (SIgAs), play an important role in preventing influenza virus infection. A recent study reported that anti-hemagglutinin (HA) head-targeting antibodies increase anti-viral functions such as hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus neutralization (NT), in addition to HA binding activity (reactivity) via IgA polymerization. However, the functional properties of anti-viral IgA antibodies with mechanisms of action distinct from those of anti-HA head-targeting antibodies remain elusive. Here, we characterized the functional properties of IgG, monomeric IgA, and polymeric IgA anti-HA stalk-binding clones F11 and FI6, and B12 (a low affinity anti-HA stalk clone), as well as Fab-deficient (ΔFab) IgA antibodies. We found that IgA polymerization impacts the functional properties of anti-HA stalk antibodies. Unlike anti-HA head antibodies, the anti-viral functions of anti-HA stalk antibodies were not simply enhanced by IgA polymerization. The data suggest that two modes of binding (Fab paratope-mediated binding to the HA stalk, and IgA Fc glycan-mediated binding to the HA receptor binding site (RBS)) occur during interaction between anti-stalk HA IgA antibodies and HA. In situations where Fab paratope-mediated binding to the HA stalk exceeded IgA Fc glycan-mediated binding to HA RBS, IgA polymerization increased anti-viral functions. By contrast, when IgA Fc glycan-mediated binding to the HA RBS was dominant, anti-viral activity will fall upon IgA polymerization. In summary, the results suggest that coordination between these two independent binding modules determines whether IgA polymerization has a negative or positive effect on the anti-viral functions of anti-HA stalk IgA antibodies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / chemistry
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antibody Affinity
  • Binding Sites, Antibody
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Hemagglutinins* / chemistry
  • Hemagglutinins* / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunogenicity, Vaccine
  • Immunoglobulin A* / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin A* / immunology
  • Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / immunology
  • Influenza Vaccines* / immunology
  • Influenza, Human* / prevention & control
  • Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Hemagglutinins
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Influenza Vaccines

Grants and funding

The work was supported in part by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under Grant Numbers JP20fk0108141 (TS), JP19fk0108051 (TS), JP19fk0108082 (TS), JP19fk0108083 (HH and AA), JP19fm0208002 (TS), JP19fk0108107 (SS and AA), and JP19fk0108030 (SS); and by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP18J11822 (KS), JP19K17947 (KS), JP20H03500 (TS) and JP17K08386 (TS). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.