Human monoclonal antibodies against highly conserved HR1 and HR2 domains of the SARS-CoV spike protein are more broadly neutralizing

PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e50366. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050366. Epub 2012 Nov 21.

Abstract

Immune sera from convalescent patients have been shown to be effective in the treatment of patients infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus (SARS-CoV) making passive immune therapy with human monoclonal antibodies an attractive treatment strategy for SARS. Previously, using Xenomouse (Amgen British Columbia Inc), we produced a panel of neutralizing Human monoclonal antibodies (HmAbs) that could specifically bind to the ectodomain of the SARS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein. Some of the HmAbs were S1 domain specific, while some were not. In this study, we describe non-S1 binding neutralizing HmAbs that can specifically bind to the conserved S2 domain of the S protein. However, unlike the S1 specific HmAbs, the S2 specific HmAbs can neutralize pseudotyped viruses expressing different S proteins containing receptor binding domain sequences of various clinical isolates. These data indicate that HmAbs which bind to conserved regions of the S protein are more suitable for conferring protection against a wide range of SARS-CoV variants and have implications for generating therapeutic antibodies or subunit vaccines against other enveloped viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / pharmacology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / pharmacology*
  • Antibody Affinity
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Binding Sites, Antibody
  • Cross Reactions
  • Epitope Mapping
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Neutralization Tests
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombinant Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / immunology
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / prevention & control
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / drug effects*
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / genetics
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / immunology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • Transfection
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV
  • spike protein, mouse hepatitis virus