New Anti-RSV Nucleoprotein Monoclonal Antibody Pairs Discovered Using Rabbit Phage Display Technology

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is a significant cause of severe respiratory illness in infants and young children.
• Rapid and sensitive detection of hRSV is crucial for timely and effective clinical management.
• Current diagnostic methods may require improvement in speed and sensitivity for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel rabbit monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the nucleoprotein (NP) of hRSV.
• To evaluate the diagnostic potential of these newly developed antibodies for hRSV detection.
• To establish a foundation for advanced diagnostic tools, such as lateral flow assays.

Main Methods:

• Phage display technology was employed to generate a rabbit antibody fragment (Fab) library.
• Immunization of a rabbit with recombinant hRSV nucleoprotein (NP) initiated antibody development.
• Panning, ELISA screening, and reformatting to full IgG were performed to select and validate NP-specific antibodies.
• Pairing tests were conducted on recombinant and native hRSV samples.

Main Results:

• A rabbit Fab library with high insertion rate (>95%) and significant enrichment (100-fold) was successfully constructed.
• Twenty-eight NP-specific Fab candidates were identified through ELISA screening.
• Eleven pairs of reformatted full IgG antibodies demonstrated the ability to detect hRSV in native clinical lysates.
• The developed mAbs show high potential for sensitive hRSV detection.

Conclusions:

• Novel rabbit monoclonal antibodies targeting hRSV nucleoprotein have been successfully developed.
• These antibodies exhibit significant potential for sensitive and rapid detection of hRSV.
• Further validation using lateral flow testing with patient samples is recommended to advance diagnostic applications.