Development of Neutralizing Antibodies against Zika Virus Based on Its Envelope Protein Structure

As we know more about Zika virus (ZIKV), as well as its linkage to birth defects (microcephaly) and autoimmune neurological syndromes, we realize the importance of developing an efficient vaccine against it. Zika virus disease has affected many countries and is becoming a major public health concern. To deal with the infection of ZIKV, plenty of experiments have been done on selection of neutralizing antibodies that can target the envelope (E) protein on the surface of the virion. However, the existence of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effect might limit the use of them as therapeutic candidates. In this review, we classify the neutralizing antibodies against ZIKV based on the epitopes and summarize the resolved structural information on antibody/antigen complex from X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), which might be useful for further development of potent neutralizing antibodies and vaccines toward clinical use.