Elad Binshtein

Influenza type A viruses (IAVs) remain an extraordinary burden to global public health and regularly circulate through human populations. This investigation describes the isolation of human mAbs from an individual with a substantial history of influenza exposure via vaccination and natural infection. From these mAbs, a clonally expanded B cell lineage was identified that recognizes the IAV neuraminidase (NA) glycoprotein and binds near the NA active site of H3N2 viruses to inhibit sialidase activity. Further characterization found that some somatically mutated members of this lineage exhibited cross-reactive binding to recombinant N1 and N9 antigens, suggesting that heterosubtypic reactivity was acquired through somatic mutation. Two candidate mAbs from this family — FluA-168 and FluA-173 — potently inhibited IAV replication in vitro and protected against lethality in vivo. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of cross-reactivity between IAV subtypes in response to diverse exposure patterns and identified 2 mAbs as potential therapeutic candidates for IAV infection.

The function of the spike protein N terminal domain (NTD) in coronavirus (CoV) infections is poorly understood. However, some rare antibodies that target the SARS-CoV-2 NTD potently neutralize the virus. This finding suggests the NTD may contribute, in part, to protective immunity. Pansarbecovirus antibodies are desirable for broad protection, but the NTD region of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 exhibit a high level of sequence divergence; therefore, cross-reactive NTD-specific antibodies are unexpected, and there is no structure of a SARS-CoV NTD-specific antibody in complex with NTD. Here, we report a monoclonal antibody COV1-65, encoded by the IGHV1-69 gene, that recognizes the NTD of SARS-CoV S protein. A prophylaxis study showed the mAb COV1-65 prevented disease when administered before SARS-CoV challenge of BALB/c mice, an effect that requires intact fragment crystallizable region (Fc) effector functions for optimal protection in vivo. The footprint on the S protein of COV1-65 is near to functional components of the S2 fusion machinery, and the selection of COV1-65 escape mutant viruses identified critical residues Y886H and Q974H, which likely affect the epitope through allosteric effects. Structural features of the mAb COV1-65–SARS-CoV antigen interaction suggest critical antigenic determinants that should be considered in the rational design of sarbecovirus vaccine candidates.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the promise of monoclonal antibody-based prophylactic and therapeutic drugs^1–3 and revealed how quickly viral escape can curtail effective options^4,5. When the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in 2021, many antibody drug products lost potency, including Evusheld and its constituent, cilgavimab^4–6. Cilgavimab, like its progenitor COV2-2130, is a class 3 antibody that is compatible with other antibodies in combination⁴ and is challenging to replace with existing approaches. Rapidly modifying such high-value antibodies to restore efficacy against emerging variants is a compelling mitigation strategy. We sought to redesign and renew the efficacy of COV2-2130 against Omicron BA.1 and BA.1.1 strains while maintaining efficacy against the dominant Delta variant. Here we show that our computationally redesigned antibody, 2130-1-0114-112, achieves this objective, simultaneously increases neutralization potency against Delta and subsequent variants of concern, and provides protection in vivo against the strains tested: WA1/2020, BA.1.1 and BA.5. Deep mutational scanning of tens of thousands of pseudovirus variants reveals that 2130-1-0114-112 improves broad potency without increasing escape liabilities. Our results suggest that computational approaches can optimize an antibody to target multiple escape variants, while simultaneously enriching potency. Our computational approach does not require experimental iterations or pre-existing binding data, thus enabling rapid response strategies to address escape variants or lessen escape vulnerabilities.

The zoonotic Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) can cause severe disease in humans and has pandemic potential, yet no approved vaccine or therapy exists. Here we describe a dual-mechanism human monoclonal antibody (mAb) combination against RVFV that is effective at minimal doses in a lethal mouse model of infection. We structurally analyze and characterize the binding mode of a prototypical potent Gn domain-A-binding antibody that blocks attachment and of an antibody that inhibits infection by abrogating the fusion process as previously determined. Surprisingly, the Gn domain-A antibody does not directly block RVFV Gn interaction with the host receptor low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) as determined by a competitive assay. This study identifies a rationally designed combination of human mAbs deserving of future investigation for use in humans against RVFV infection. Using a two-pronged mechanistic approach, we demonstrate the potent efficacy of a rationally designed combination mAb therapeutic.

The Toxin Complex (Tc) superfamily consists of toxin translocases that contribute to the targeting, delivery, and cytotoxicity of certain pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. Membrane receptor targeting is driven by the A-subunit (TcA), which comprises IgG-like receptor binding domains (RBDs) at the surface. To better understand XptA2, an insect specific TcA secreted by the symbiont X. nematophilus from the intestine of entomopathogenic nematodes, we determined structures by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. Contrary to a previous report, XptA2 is pentameric. RBD-B exhibits an indentation from crystal packing that indicates loose association with the shell and a hotspot for possible receptor binding or a trigger for conformational dynamics. A two-fragment XptA2 lacking an intact linker achieved the folded pre-pore state like wild type (wt), revealing no requirement of the linker for protein folding. The linker is disordered in all structures, and we propose it plays a role in dynamics downstream of the initial pre-pore state.

The protective human antibody response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) focuses on the spike (S) protein, which decorates the virion surface and mediates cell binding and entry. Most SARS-CoV-2 protective antibodies target the receptor-binding domain or a single dominant epitope (“supersite”) on the N-terminal domain (NTD). Using the single B cell technology called linking B cell receptor to antigen specificity through sequencing (LIBRA-Seq), we isolated a large panel of NTD-reactive and SARS-CoV-2–neutralizing antibodies from an individual who had recovered from COVID-19. We found that neutralizing antibodies against the NTD supersite were commonly encoded by the IGHV1-24 gene, forming a genetic cluster representing a public B cell clonotype. However, we also discovered a rare human antibody, COV2-3434, that recognizes a site of vulnerability on the SARS-CoV-2 S protein in the trimer interface (TI) and possesses a distinct class of functional activity. COV2-3434 disrupted the integrity of S protein trimers, inhibited the cell-to-cell spread of the virus in culture, and conferred protection in human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2–transgenic (ACE2-transgenic) mice against the SARS-CoV-2 challenge. This study provides insight into antibody targeting of the S protein TI region, suggesting this region may be a site of virus vulnerability.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) remains a risk for epidemic emergence or use as an aerosolized bioweapon. To develop possible countermeasures, we isolated VEEV-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from mice and a human immunized with attenuated VEEV strains. Functional assays and epitope mapping established that potently inhibitory anti-VEEV mAbs bind distinct antigenic sites in the A or B domains of the E2 glycoprotein and block multiple steps in the viral replication cycle including attachment, fusion, and egress. A 3.2-Å cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of VEEV virus-like particles bound by a human Fab suggests that antibody engagement of the B domain may result in cross-linking of neighboring spikes to prevent conformational requirements for viral fusion. Prophylaxis or postexposure therapy with these mAbs protected mice against lethal aerosol challenge with VEEV. Our study defines functional and structural mechanisms of mAb protection and suggests that multiple antigenic determinants on VEEV can be targeted for vaccine or antibody-based therapeutic development.

Understanding the molecular basis for immune recognition of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein antigenic sites will inform the development of improved therapeutics. We determined the structures of two human monoclonal antibodies–AZD8895 and AZD1061–which form the basis of the investigational antibody cocktail AZD7442, in complex with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 to define the genetic and structural basis of neutralization. AZD8895 forms an ‘aromatic cage’ at the heavy/light chain interface using germ line-encoded residues in complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) 2 and 3 of the heavy chain and CDRs 1 and 3 of the light chain. These structural features explain why highly similar antibodies (public clonotypes) have been isolated from multiple individuals. AZD1061 has an unusually long LCDR1; the HCDR3 makes interactions with the opposite face of the RBD from that of AZD8895. Using deep mutational scanning and neutralization escape selection experiments, we comprehensively mapped the crucial binding residues of both antibodies and identified positions of concern with regards to virus escape from antibody-mediated neutralization. Both AZD8895 and AZD1061 have strong neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern with antigenic substitutions in the RBD. We conclude that germ line-encoded antibody features enable recognition of the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD and demonstrate the utility of the cocktail AZD7442 in neutralizing emerging variant viruses.

Unrelated individuals can produce genetically similar clones of antibodies, known as public clonotypes, which have been seen in responses to different infectious diseases as well as healthy individuals. Here we identify 37 public clonotypes in memory B cells from convalescent survivors of SARS-CoV-2 infection or in plasmablasts from an individual after vaccination with mRNA-encoded spike protein. We identified 29 public clonotypes, including clones recognizing the receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the spike protein S1 subunit (including a neutralizing, ACE2-blocking clone that protects in vivo ), and others recognizing non-RBD epitopes that bound the heptad repeat 1 region of the S2 domain. Germline-revertant forms of some public clonotypes bound efficiently to spike protein, suggesting these common germline-encoded antibodies are preconfigured for avid recognition. Identification of large numbers of public clonotypes provides insight into the molecular basis of efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and sheds light on the immune pressures driving the selection of common viral escape mutants.

Single particle analysis reveals how the membrane sculpting protein caveolin 1 is packaged within disc-shaped complexes.