Comprehensive analysis of pathogen-specific antibody response in vivo based on an antigen library displayed on surface of yeast

J Biol Chem. 2011 Sep 23;286(38):33511-9. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.270553. Epub 2011 Jul 27.

Abstract

Host antibody response is a crucial defense against pathogenic infection. Here, we report a novel technique allowing quantitative measurement of polyclonal antibody response in vivo. This involves expression of a combinatorial library of target proteins from a candidate pathogen on the surface of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After mixing with serum/plasma from infected or immunized subjects, positive yeast clones were isolated via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Using this technique, we have studied mouse immunized serum with recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) protein from a human influenza H5N1 strain (A/Anhui/1/2005) and convalescent plasma from an infected human in China. Our technique has identified novel antigenic domains targeted by serum/plasma and allowed calculation of the relative proportion of the antibody response against each domain. We believe such systematic measurement of an antibody response is unprecedented, and applying this method to different pathogens will improve understanding of protective immunity and guide development of vaccines and therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibody Formation / immunology*
  • Antibody Specificity / immunology
  • Antigens, Viral / chemistry
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • China
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / chemistry
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunization
  • Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / immunology*
  • Influenza, Human / immunology
  • Influenza, Human / virology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / immunology
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / virology
  • Peptide Library*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / immunology*
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Peptide Library