Inhibitory antibodies targeting emerging viruses: Advancements and mechanisms

Abstract

From Ebola virus outbreaks in Western Africa to the introduction of chikungunya and Zika viruses in the Americas, new and neglected viruses continue to emerge and spread around the world. Due to a lack of existing vaccines or specific therapeutics, little other than supportive care and attempts to interrupt transmission can be provided during initial outbreaks. This has prompted a shift in vaccine design and development to identify novel epitopes and mechanisms of protection that may offer a broader range of protection against groups or whole families of viruses. Receptor-binding domains and other motifs within viral envelope proteins represent one excellent opportunity to target communal epitopes shared by related viruses. Similarly, for viruses where envelope participates in driving viral egress from infected cells, shared epitopes need to be identified to guide the development of broadly protective antibodies and vaccines. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of broadly protective humoral responses for emerging viruses.