Researchers from Washington University – School of Medicine at St. Louis developed a monoclonal antibody that mimics one produced by people whose immune systems successfully fend off the West Nile virus ( WNV ).

West Nile virus made its first U.S. appearance in New York City in 1999.
It has since spread from coast to coast, sickened more than 16,000 Americans and killed more than 600.

“ We currently do not have a proven therapy for people with serious West Nile disease, so we will continue to aggressively pursue all promising leads for an effective treatment, " says Anthony S. Fauci, director of NIAID ( National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ).

Neutralization of West Nile virus in vivo correlates with the development of an antibody response against the viral envelope ( E ) protein.

Researchers developed monoclonal antibodies against domain III of the WNV E protein.

Convalescent-phase antibodies from individuals who had recovered from WNV infection also detected this epitope.

One monoclonal antibody, E16, neutralized 10 different strains in vitro, and showed therapeutic efficacy in mice, even when administered as a single dose 5 days after infection.

A humanized version of E16 was generated.

In postexposure therapeutic trials in mice, a single dose of humanized E16 protected mice against WNV-induced mortality, and may therefore be a viable treatment option against West Nile virus infection in humans.

Source: Nature Medicine, 2005


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