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Antibodies to West Nile virus: a double-edged sword
Per Johan Klasse1, Dennis R Burton
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Weill Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 62, New York, NY 10021, USA. pek2003@med.cornell.edu
Abstract:
Antibodies, although critical for host defense against West Nile virus (WNV), can both neutralize and enhance viral infection. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Pierson et al. dissect these opposing effects and demonstrate that, when 120 epitopes are available per WNV virion, approximately 25 are occupied by antibody at 50% neutralization. At lower occupancies, enhancement of infection dominates; at higher ones, neutralization ensues. These results are important for WNV vaccine design and for potential therapeutic use of antibodies to WNV.
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