Molecular Simulations Reveal the Role of Antibody Fine Specificity and Viral Maturation State on Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of Infection in Dengue Virus.

ABSTRACT: Recent clinical studies have revealed that severe symptoms of dengue fever are associated with low pre-existing antibody levels. These findings provide direct clinical evidence for the theory of antibody-dependent enhancement of infection (ADE), which postulates that sub-neutralizing levels of antibodies facilitate the invasion of host cells by the dengue virus. Here, we carried out molecular simulations guided by previous in vitro experiments and structural studies to explore the role of antibody fine-specificity, viral conformation, and maturation state-key aspects of dengue virology that are difficult to manipulate experimentally-on ADE in the context of primary and secondary infections. Our simulation results reproduced in vitro studies of ADE, providing a molecular basis

SUBMITTER: Ripoll DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6593287 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature