HUMAN IGM ANTI-FLAVIVIRUS ENVELOPE PROTEIN ANTIBODY (4G2)

Human anti Flavivirus Envelope protein antibody (4G2) binds to a conserved epitope on the E protein of the flavivirus family. It has been shown to recognise Dengue virus, West Nile virus, Japanese Encephalitis virus and Zika Virus (Aubry et al. 2016). It binds to the fusion loop at the extremity of domain II of E protein and prevents syncytia formation (Summers, 1989). The epitope is highly conserved amongst flaviviridae and has been functionally analyzed in detail by Crill and Chang (2004).

This antibody has been tested on Dengue VLPs produced by the Native Antigen Company, and shown to bind effectively to these in ELISA assay. The antibody has been shown to work in Western blotting, neutralisation and flow cytometric applications.

This human IgM anti Flavivirus Envelope protein antibody has been prepared by chimerization from the mouse monoclonal antibody (clone 4G2). The original variable domains of this antibody have been retained, whilst the constant regions have been replaced with human IgM.

The antibody is designed to provide a control for assays in which human serum is tested for antibodies specific for Flavivirus envelope protein, which will result from the immune response following an infection with a range of flaviviruses.

REFERENCES

• Nawa, M. et al (2001) Development of dengue IgM-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with higher sensitivity using monoclonal detection antibody. J. Virol Methods 92:65-70.
• Aubry, M. et al (2016) Inactivation of Zika virus in plasma with amotosalen and ultraviolet A illumination. Transfusion 56:33-40
• Summers, P. et al (1989) Flaviviruses can mediate fusion from without in Aedes albopictus mosquito cell cultures. Virus Res. 12:383-392
• Crill, W. and Chang, G. (2004) Localization and characterization of flavivirus envelope glycoprotein cross-reactive epitopes. J. Virol. 78:13975 – 8