Enhancement of Zika virus pathogenesis by preexisting antiflavivirus immunity

SV Bardina, P Bunduc, S Tripathi, J Duehr, JJ Frere… - Science, 2017 - science.org
SV Bardina, P Bunduc, S Tripathi, J Duehr, JJ Frere, JA Brown, R Nachbagauer, GA Foster…
Science, 2017science.org
Zika virus (ZIKV) is spreading rapidly into regions around the world where other flaviviruses,
such as dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV), are endemic. Antibody-dependent
enhancement has been implicated in more severe forms of flavivirus disease, but whether
this also applies to ZIKV infection is unclear. Using convalescent plasma from DENV-and
WNV-infected individuals, we found substantial enhancement of ZIKV infection in vitro that
was mediated through immunoglobulin G engagement of Fcγ receptors. Administration of …
Zika virus (ZIKV) is spreading rapidly into regions around the world where other flaviviruses, such as dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV), are endemic. Antibody-dependent enhancement has been implicated in more severe forms of flavivirus disease, but whether this also applies to ZIKV infection is unclear. Using convalescent plasma from DENV- and WNV-infected individuals, we found substantial enhancement of ZIKV infection in vitro that was mediated through immunoglobulin G engagement of Fcγ receptors. Administration of DENV- or WNV-convalescent plasma into ZIKV-susceptible mice resulted in increased morbidity—including fever, viremia, and viral loads in spinal cord and testes—and increased mortality. Antibody-dependent enhancement may explain the severe disease manifestations associated with recent ZIKV outbreaks and highlights the need to exert great caution when designing flavivirus vaccines.
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