Drug-resistant Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis) poses a threat to the use of antibiotics to treat Y. pestis infections. Passive immunization with neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is considered an effective approach for the treatment of infectious diseases. In this study, a murine single-chain fragment variable (scFv) phage antibody library targeting the F1 antigen was constructed and screened. Therapeutic intravenous injection of 400 μg chimeric mAb S1 through tail veins provided complete protection against Y. pestis 201 challenge in a pneumonic plague mouse model. Timely antibody treatment eliminated the bacteria and reduced lung inflammation. These data suggest that chimeric mAb S1 is a candidate treatment for Y. pestis infection that warrants further study.
Keywords: Chimeric monoclonal antibody; Phage display; Pneumonic plague; Yersinia pestis.
Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd and International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.