Cross-neutralizing Anti-hemagglutinin Antibodies Isolated from Patients Infected with Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus

Objective To recover broad-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies(Bn Abs)from avian influenza A(H5N1)virus infection cases and investigate their genetic and functional features.Methods We screened the Abs repertoires of expanded B cells circulating in the peripheral blood of H5N1 patients.The genetic basis,biological functions,and epitopes of the obtained Bn Abs were assessed and modeled.Results Two Bn Abs,2-12 D5,and 3-37 G7.1,were respectively obtained from two human H5N1 cases on days 12 and 21 after disease onset.Both Abs demonstrated cross-neutralizing and Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity(ADCC)activity.Albeit derived from distinct Ab lineages,i.e.,V^H1-69-D2-15-JH^4(2-12D5)and V^H1-2-D3-9-JH^5(3-32 G7.1),the Bn Abs were directed toward CR6261-like epitopes in the HA stem,and HA2 I45 in the hydrophobic pocket was the critical residue for their binding.Signature motifs for binding with the HA stem,namely,IFY in VH1-69-encoded Abs and LXYFXW in D3-9-encoded Abs,were also observed in 2-12D5 and 3-32 G7.1,respectively.Conclusions Cross-reactive B cells of different germline origins could be activated and re-circulated by avian influenza virus.The HA stem epitopes targeted by the Bn Abs,and the two Ab-encoding genes usage implied the VH1-69 and D3-9 are the ideal candidates triggered by influenza virus for vaccine development.

Suppression of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A/H5N1 Infection Using Migratory Antibody Passed from Mother to Chick

Avian influenza is the most contagious disease not only in poultry, but also in humans. Avian influenza in humans occurs mainly in Southeast Asia, but no human-to-human pandemic has occurred. Meanwhile, outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry occur on a global scale and cause a large economic loss. Migration antibodies passed from mother birds via eggs are said to be an important component of the immune system that protects birds from infection. Thus, the immunity status of mother birds can determine the ability of offspring to defend against infection. In this study, we investigated the presence of anti-avian influenza virus antibody in chickens hatched on a poultry farm in Indonesia and examined the involvement of migratory antibodies in protecting against virus infection by infectious experiments of highly pathogenic avian influenza in chickens. Blood was collected from randomly selected chicks, and antibodies against avian influenza virus were evaluated in all birds. Since these young birds had no history of vaccination, the antibodies were deemed to have been transferred from the mother birds. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antibody titer in each bird varied. Infection of these birds with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A/H5N1 intra-nasally resulted in a high mortality rate in chicks with low antibody titers but a low mortality rate in chicks with high antibody titers. These findings indicate that migratory antibody prevented highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 infection in chicks, suggesting that such a preventive effect could also be expected with outdoor natural infection.

Localization Analysis of Heterophilic Antigen Epitopes of H1N1 Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin

Previous studies have indicated that two monoclonal antibodies(mAbs;A1-10 and H1-84)of the hemagglutinin(HA)antigen on the H1N1 influenza virus cross-react with human brain tissue.It has been proposed that there are heterophilic epitopes between the HA protein and human brain tissue(Guo et al.in Immunobiology 220:941-946,2015).However,characterisation of the two mAbs recognising the heterophilic epitope on HA has not yet been performed.In the present study,the common antigens of influenza virus HA were confirmed using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and analysed with DNAMAN software.The epitopes were localized to nine peptides in the influenza virus HA sequence and the distribution of the peptides in the three-dimensional structure of HA was determined using PyMOL software.Key amino acids and variable sequences of the antibodies were identified using abYsis software.The results demonstrated that there were a number of common antigens among the five influenza viruses studied that were recognised by the mAbs.One of the peptides,P2(LVLWGIHHP191-199),bound both of the mAbs and was located in the head region of HA.The key amino acids of this epitope and the variable regions in the heavy and light chain sequences of the mAbs that recognised the epitope are described.A heterophilic epitope on H1N1 influenza virus HA was also introduced.The existence of this epitope provides a novel perspective for the occurrence of nervous system diseases that could be caused by influenza virus infection,which might aid in influenza prevention and control.