Preferential apical infection and spread of human metapneumovirus highlights the importance of inhaled delivery of neutralizing monoclonal antibody to treat established infections.

ABSTRACT: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a frequent cause of acute respiratory infections in infants, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. No vaccines or treatments are currently available beyond supportive care. Building on our previous work with parainfluenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus, we investigate the pattern of hMPV infection and spread in polarized and well-differentiated cultures of human airway epithelium (WD-HAE). We found productive infection of WD-HAE requires apical inoculation of hMPV, with infectious spread dependent on progeny viruses shedding into mucus secretions overlaying the apical surface of WD-HAE. A potent neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against hMPV fusion protein-mAb364 (also termed MPV364)-prevented initial infection by hMPV and halted spread of

SUBMITTER: Tiruthani K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12501197 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature