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Detection of Neutralization-sensitive Epitopes in Antigens Displayed on Virus-Like Particle (VLP)-Based Vaccines Using a Capture Assay
Published on: February 10, 2022
Antibody binding in proximity to the receptor/glycoprotein complex leads to a basal level of virus neutralization
Xinzhen Yang1, Inna Lipchina, Michelle Lifton
1Division of Viral Pathogenesis, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA. xyang1@bidmc.harvard.edu
Abstract:
Hypothetically, antibodies may neutralize enveloped viruses by diverse mechanisms, such as disruption of receptor binding, interference with conformational changes required for virus entry, steric hindrance, or virus aggregation. Here, we demonstrate that retroviral infection mediated by the avian sarcoma-leukosis virus (ASLV-A) envelope glycoproteins can be neutralized by an antibody directed against a functionally unimportant component of a chimeric receptor protein. Thus, the binding of an antibody in proximity to the retroviral envelope glycoprotein-receptor complex, without binding to the entry machinery itself, results in neutralization. This finding provides additional support for the hypothesis that steric hindrance is sufficient for antibody-mediated neutralization of retroviruses.
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