Identification of a protective epitope in Japanese encephalitis virus NS1 protein.

In this study, we generated five different monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the NS1 protein of JEV. In vitro experiments revealed that none of these five antibodies neutralized the JEV infection. In mouse protection studies, one of these mAbs, designated 2B8, provided a therapeutic effect against JEV lethal challenge (70% survival rate). Using peptide mapping analysis, we found that mAb 2B8 reacted with the epitope 225PETHTLWGD233 in the NS1 protein, in which any mutations among amino acid residues T228, H229, L231 or W232 could cause binding failure of 2B8 to the NS1 protein. Furthermore, mice immunized with KLH-polypeptide (225PETHTLWGD233) showed reduced mortality following JEV challenge. Collectively, we found a new protective epitope in the JEV NS1 protein. These results may facilitate the development of therapeutic agent and subunit-based vaccines based on the NS1 protein. PMID: 32898585 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32898585?dopt=Abstract

Source: Antiviral Research - September 4, 2020 Category: Virology Authors: Zhou D, Pei C, Liu Z, Yang K, Li Q, Chen H, Cao S, Song Y Tags: Antiviral Res Source Type: research