Protective role of antigenic sites on the envelope protein of Hantaan virus defined by monoclonal antibodies.

To investigate the role of Hantaan virus envelope glycoprotein in infection, a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was examined in vitro with several serological tests and in vivo by passive transfer experiments in mice. An antigenic site, specific for the inhibition of infected cell focus was detected with the focus inhibition neutralization test (FINT), in addition to the neutralization related antigenic sites, which were revealed by the ordinary focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT). Suckling mice were given the MAbs by passive transfer followed by lethal Hantaan virus challenge. All neutralizing MAbs detected by either FRNT or FINT protected all mice from lethal infection, confirming the importance of the antigenic sites as a protective antigen. Mice given non-neutralizing MAbs by passive transfer, however, began to die earlier than the control group; mean time to death (18.2 +/- 2.1 to 21.5 +/- 2.8 days) being significantly shorter than that of the control group (25.8 +/- 1.8, p less than 0.01, Mann-Whitney, U probability test). Virus titers in brains of mice which died early, were about 10 times higher than those of control mice. These results indicated the early death phenomenon of mice which was mediated by the anti-virus antibody.