Human antibody recognizing a quaternary epitope in the Puumala virus glycoprotein provides broad protection against orthohantaviruses

Sci Transl Med. 2022 Mar 16;14(636):eabl5399. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abl5399. Epub 2022 Mar 16.

Abstract

The rodent-borne hantavirus Puumala virus (PUUV) and related agents cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in humans. Other hantaviruses, including Andes virus (ANDV) and Sin Nombre virus, cause a distinct zoonotic disease, hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Although these infections are severe and have substantial case fatality rates, no FDA-approved hantavirus countermeasures are available. Recent work suggests that monoclonal antibodies may have therapeutic utility. We describe here the isolation of human neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against tetrameric Gn/Gc glycoprotein spikes from PUUV-experienced donors. We define a dominant class of nAbs recognizing the "capping loop" of Gn that masks the hydrophobic fusion loops in Gc. A subset of nAbs in this class, including ADI-42898, bound Gn/Gc complexes but not Gn alone, strongly suggesting that they recognize a quaternary epitope encompassing both Gn and Gc. ADI-42898 blocked the cell entry of seven HCPS- and HFRS-associated hantaviruses, and single doses of this nAb could protect Syrian hamsters and bank voles challenged with the highly virulent HCPS-causing ANDV and HFRS-causing PUUV, respectively. ADI-42898 is a promising candidate for clinical development as a countermeasure for both HCPS and HFRS, and its mode of Gn/Gc recognition informs the development of broadly protective hantavirus vaccines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Cricetinae
  • Epitopes
  • Glycoproteins
  • Hantavirus Infections*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Orthohantavirus*
  • Puumala virus*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • Glycoproteins