title: Protective epitopes on the fusion protein of respiratory syncytial virus recognized by murine and bovine monoclonal antibodies.
abstract: The regions of the fusion protein of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that react with neutralizing, fusion-inhibiting and highly protective bovine and murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were mapped by two methods: (i) competitive binding assays and (ii) production and analysis of antibody-escape mutants. Competitive binding assays with 16 murine and 10 bovine MAbs identified 11 antigenic sites on the fusion (F) protein, many of which overlapped extensively, and indicated that cattle, a natural host for RSV, and mice recognize similar epitopes. Neutralizing MAbs identified four sites, two of which were also fusion-inhibiting and highly protective in mice. The pattern of reactivity of antibody-escape mutants with the MAbs confirmed the mapping of the protective epitopes deduced from competitive binding assays. A comparison of the biological properties of MAbs to the F protein indicated that protection against RSV infection correlated with fusion inhibition rather than neutralization titre or complement-dependent lysis of virus-infected cells.
authors.affiliation: AFRC Institute for Animal Health, Compton Laboratory, Nr Newbury, Berkshire, U.K.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Stott
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furze
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sopp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002417:Cattle; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D015707:HN Protein; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016296:Mutagenesis; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D015707:HN Protein; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C116204:attachment protein G