ABSTRACT The Middle-East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic virus that causes severe and often fatal respiratory disease in humans. Efforts to develop antibody-based therapies have focused on neutralizing antibodies that target the receptor binding domain of the viral spike protein thereby blocking receptor binding. Here, we developed a set of human monoclonal antibodies that target functionally distinct domains of the MERS-CoV spike protein. These antibodies belong to six distinct epitope groups and interfere with the three critical entry functions of the MERS-CoV spike protein: sialic acid binding, receptor binding and membrane fusion. Passive immunization with potently as well as with poorly neutralizing antibodies protected mice from lethal MERS-CoV challenge. Collectively, these antibodies offer new ways to gain humoral protection in humans against the emerging MERS-CoV by targeting different spike protein epitopes and functions.
【저자키워드】 antibodies, coronavirus, MERS, Spike protein, 【초록키워드】 neutralizing antibody, passive immunization, antibody, Human, virus, MERS-CoV, Receptor binding domain, mice, humans, zoonotic, Human monoclonal antibody, Respiratory disease, membrane fusion, group, epitope, Critical, function, binding, Receptor binding, humoral, sialic acid, viral spike protein, functions, respiratory syndrome coronavirus, offer, antibody-based therapy, develop, interfere, cause, distinct domain, 【제목키워드】 spike glycoprotein, Human monoclonal antibody, function, Protective, domain,