Antibodies to Viral Antigens

Viruses are infectious pathogens that can cause serious diseases including major threats for global public health, such as the flu (influenza), hepatitis, and AIDS. A number of cancers are also caused or assumed to be caused by viruses in conjunction with environmental factors. A typical virus is a sub-micrometer particle that has DNA or RNA packaged in a shell known as the capsid. Viral antigens protrude from the capsid and often fulfill important function in docking to the host cell, fusion, and injection of viral DNA/RNA. Antibody-based immune responses form a first layer of protection of the host from viral infection, however, in many cases a vigorous cellular immune response mediated by T-cells and NK-cells is required for effective viral clearance. When cellular immunity is unable to clear the virus, the infection can become chronic, and serum antibodies to the viral pathogen are used as first indicator for the diagnosis of the disease.

For a number of reasons including biohazard, species restriction, and lack of appropriate animal models, antibodies to viral antigens are usually not generated by immunization with live virus, but rather by immunization with attenuated or inactivated virus, or recombinant viral antigens, either purified or expressed artificially on appropriate host-derived cells. Antibodies to recombinant viral antigen are invaluable tools in virological research, and in a few cases, can also be used for passive immunization against or therapy of viral disease.

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