Therapeutic efficacy of humanized monoclonal antibodies targeting dengue virus nonstructural protein 1 in the mouse model
Sen-Mao Tien, Po-Chun Chang, Yen‐Chung Lai, Yung‐Chun Chuang, Chin-Kai Tseng, Yu-San Kao, Hong-Jyun Huang, Yu-Peng Hsiao, Yiling Liu, Hsing-Han Lin, Chien-Chou Chu, Miao-Huei Cheng, Tzong‐Shiann Ho, Chih‐Peng Chang, Shu-Fen Ko, Che-Piao Shen, Robert Anderson, Yee‐Shin Lin, Shu‐Wen Wan, Trai‐Ming Yeh
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) which infects about 390 million people per year in tropical and subtropical areas manifests various disease symptoms, ranging from fever to life-threatening hemorrhage and even shock. To date, there is still no effective treatment for DENV disease, but only supportive care. DENV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) has been shown to play a key role in disease pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that anti-DENV NS1 antibody can provide disease protection by blocking the DENV-induced disruption of endothelial integrity. We previously demonstrated that anti-NS1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) protected mice from all four serotypes of DENV challenge. Here, we generated humanized anti-NS1 mAbs and transferred them to mice after DENV infection. The results showed that DENV-induced prolonged bleeding time and skin hemorrhage were reduced, even several days after DENV challenge. Mechanistic studies showed the ability of humanized anti-NS1 mAbs to inhibit NS1-induced vascular hyperpermeability and to elicit Fcγ-dependent complement-mediated cytolysis as well as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of cells infected with four serotypes of DENV. These results highlight humanized anti-NS1 mAb as a potential therapeutic agent in DENV infection.