| Generation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody against MERS-CoV targeting the spike protein using a synthetic peptide epitope-CpG-DNA-liposome complex |
| Byoung Kwon Park1, Sony Maharjan1, Su In Lee1, Jinsoo Kim2, Joon-Yong Bae3, Man-Seong Park3, Hyung-Joo Kwon1,2,* |
1Center for Medical Science Research and 2Department of Microbiology, Hallym University,
3Department of Microbiology, Korea University |
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Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) uses the spike (S) glycoprotein to recognize and enter target cells. In this study, we selected two epitope peptide sequences within the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the MERS-CoV S protein. We used a complex consisting of the epitope peptide of the MERS-CoV S protein and CpG-DNA encapsulated in liposome complex to immunize mice, and produced the monoclonal antibodies 506-2G10G5 and 492-1G10E4E2. The western blotting data showed that both monoclonal antibodies detected the S protein and immunoprecipitated the native form of the S protein. Indirect immunofluorescence and confocal analysis suggested strong reactivity of the antibodies towards the S protein of MERS-CoV virus infected Vero cells. Furthermore, the 506-2G10G5 monoclonal antibody significantly reduced plaque formation in MERS-CoV infected Vero cells compared to normal mouse IgG and 492-1G10E4E2. Thus, we successfully produced a monoclonal antibody directed against the RBD domain of the S protein which could be used in the development of diagnostics and therapeutic applications in the future.
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| Abstract, Accepted Manuscript(in press) [Submitted on August 8, 2018, Accepted on October 11, 2018] |
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