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A high-throughput multiplex assay to characterize flavivirus-specific immunoglobulins
Mélanie Merbah1, Suzanne Wollen-Roberts1, Zhanna Shubin1
1U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA.
Journal of Immunological Methods
|October 6, 2020
Summary
A new bead-based immunoassay accurately profiles antibody responses to flaviviruses like Zika virus, aiding diagnosis and understanding immune reactions to these widespread arthropod-borne diseases.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Genus Flavivirus causes significant human arthropod-borne diseases.
- Diagnosis is challenging due to overlapping symptoms and cross-reactive antibodies.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop a bead-based immunoassay for simultaneous profiling of antibody isotype, subclass, and specificity.
- Enhance diagnosis of flavivirus infections, including Zika virus (ZIKV).
Main Methods:
- Created a panel of 22 envelope (E) and non-structural 1 (NS1) proteins from multiple flaviviruses (ZIKV, DENV, YFV, WNV, JEV, TBEV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV).
- Utilized a bead-based immunoassay to analyze antibody responses in 54 samples from 40 individuals with ZIKV infection.
Main Results:
- Identified stronger ZIKV responses in flavivirus-experienced individuals versus naïve ones.
- Observed distinct antibody isotypes across infection stages (acute, convalescent, late convalescent).
- Detected cross-reactive responses and potential CHIKV coinfection, with high assay dynamic range (>5 logs).
Conclusions:
- The assay can differentiate ZIKV-specific from cross-reactive antibody responses.
- This high-throughput platform provides multidimensional data to advance understanding of flavivirus immunity.
- The assay has potential for improved diagnosis and research of flavivirus infections.
