Anti-NSP4 antibody can block rotavirus-induced diarrhea in mice.
BACKGROUND
Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea and gastroenteritis among children worldwide. The viral proteins (VP), especially VP4- and VP7-induced neutralizing antibodies, were considered to be critical in protective immunity to rotavirus disease. However, whether the antibody to rotavirus nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4) protects against rotavirus-induced diarrhea directly is not completely clear, especially for the protective time course.


METHODS
To obtain direct evidence, 12-day-old ICR mice were treated with NSP4 and entire rotavirus to induce diarrhea.


RESULTS
Both NSP4 and rotavirus-treated mice developed diarrhea, which was accompanied by histological changes in the small intestine compared to age-matched control mice. Anti-NSP4 antibody demonstrated protection against both entire rotavirus-induced diarrhea and NSP4-induced diarrhea. The histological changes in the small intestinal were reversible. These data show that early intervention with anti-NSP4 antibody can prevent rotavirus-induced diarrhea in mice; late intervention with anti-NSP4 antibody could halt diarrhea progression in mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate for the first time that administration of anti-NSP4 antibody is effective both prior to and during the time course of rotavirus infection. These observations extend our knowledge of rotavirus infection and its therapeutic options.
Hou
Zongliu
Z
Research Laboratory Center, Yan'an Hospital of Kunming City, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China. hzl579@163.com
Huang
Yongkun
Y
Huan
Youming
Y
Pang
Wei
W
Meng
Mingyao
M
Wang
Ping
P
Yang
Meifen
M
Jiang
Lihong
L
Cao
Xinan
X
Wu
Kenneth K
KK
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011897:Random Allocation; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000276:immunology*; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; C081369:NS28 protein, rotavirus; D014118:Toxins, Biological; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins