Passive protection of mice, goats, and monkeys against Japanese encephalitis with monoclonal antibodies

Abstract

Six monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) were tested for passive protection in JEV-infected mice, goats, and rhesus monkeys. mG9 and nG2 had no protective effect; mG3 and 2D2 had some protective effect, but not sufficient to be of therapeutic significance; and 2H4 and 2F2 had excellent protective efficacy in mice even 120 hr after infection when most of the mice in the virus control group were sick. The mixture of 2H4, 2F2, mC3 (M-McAb), and their F(ab')2 fragments showed excellent protection in mice, goats, and monkeys and was safe. The protective effects of McAbs correlated with their neutralization titers, but cytotoxicity-mediated activities also played a role in protection.