Identification of potent cross neutralizing Dengue antibodies using single-cell technology

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

ABSTRACT DENV (DENV) is the most common human arboviral infection, and the most important public health threat from mosquito-borne viral pathogens causing an estimated 100 million cases of dengue fever and half a million cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) per year. Of those infected with DHF, 90% are children who ultimately succumb and make up the 5% of people who die of the infection. As Dengue is endemic in all continents except Europe, over half of the world?s population is at risk of infection. Over the past fifty years, incidents of dengue infection have increased by over 30-fold. Clinical trials of DENV vaccines have shown promising results, but prototype vaccines remain inadequate against all four DENV serotypes. Vaccination is the most important strategy for prevention of flavivirus infections, and monoclonal antibodies show great promise even as a post-exposure treatment strategy. One critical challenge to the development of effective vaccines is our incomplete ability to examine and understand the protective humoral immunity against DENV. This challenge is attributed to the limitation of the current technologies to provide a comprehensive profile of the protective neutralizing antibodies in dengue infection. In this application, we propose using single-cell antibody nanowells (SCAN), an innovative single-cell technology, to quickly and efficiently screen individual B- cells for antigen specific products. Next, these antigen specific products will be isolated and reproduced via cloning and recombinant DNA technologies. This extremely efficient process uses much smaller samples than conventional methodologies, and, most importantly, it will allow for the identification of rare cross-neutralizing epitopes. We propose using SCAN technology to identify and isolate DENV-specific antibodies that will be evaluated for viral neutralizing properties. Antibodies with neutralizing properties will then be characterized to determine mechanism of neutralization. Results are expected to generate a repertoire of DENV-specific antibodies. These antibodies will be screened for neutralizing capacity and mapped for antigenic epitopes. On a more fundamental level, these results will establish this approach and direct it forward towards the creation of immuno therapeutics and vaccine development.