title: Diverging effects of human recombinant anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody fragments derived from a single patient on the infectivity of a vesicular stomatitis virus/HCV pseudotype.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major causative agent of blood-borne non-A, non-B hepatitis. Although a strong humoral response is detectable within a few weeks of primary infection and during viral persistence, the role played by antibodies against HCV envelope glycoproteins in controlling viral replication is still unclear. We describe how human monoclonal anti-HCV E2 antibody fragments isolated from a chronically HCV-infected patient differ sharply in their abilities to neutralize infection of HepG2 cells by a vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotype bearing HCV envelope glycoproteins. Two clones were able to neutralize the pseudotype virus at a concentration of 10 micro g/ml, while three other clones completely lacked this activity. These data can explain the lack of protection and the possibility of reinfection that occur even in the presence of a strong antiviral antibody response.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Ancona, 60020 Ancona, Italy. r.burioni@libero.it
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burioni
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Nicasio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyamura
authors.forename: Pietro E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Varaldo
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clementi
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C091015:glycoprotein E2, Hepatitis C virus