Shingles Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Shingles, including details on symptoms, treatment, causes, virus.

A chimeric antibody to varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein e.

Shankar V, Kools JJ, Armour KL, Clark MR

Biologics Branch, Scientific Resources Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. vbs2@cdc.gov

Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) immune globulin (VZIG) derived from pooled human serum is currently used in immunotherapy of VZV-associated complications of chickenpox and shingles. We developed a mouse-human chimeric antibody against a VZV glycoprotein E (gE) epitope as a safer replacement for VZIG. Variable (V) heavy- and V kappa light-chain exons, derived from an anti-VZV gE antibody secreting mouse hybridoma cell line, were cloned into expression vectors containing an immunoglobulin promoter and enhancer, and human IgG1 or kappa constant (C) region genes. The expression vectors were cotransfected into mouse myeloma cell line (NSO), generating transformants that secreted chimeric human-mouse IgGs. The chimeric and the parent mouse antibody were indistinguishable in their antigen binding specificity. VZV gE chimeric antibody may prove to be a prophylactic antibody that could provide significant advantages over VZIG in having defined specificity, lessened possibility of contamination with viral pathogens, and consistent availability.

Published 23 March 2005 in Hybridoma (Larchmt), 24(1): 50-4.
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