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Innovative Ebola Diagnostics

技術優勢

Apan-filovirus diagnostic can be developed that targets all six pathogenicstrains Recombinantfluorescent antibodies can be generated at very little cost compared toconventional monoclonal antibodiesIntrinsicfluorescence permits precise ratios determination of fluorescent signal toantibody-antigen interactions, therefore facilitating quantitative measurementsof target virusDoesnot require the extensive training and expensive equipment used in PCR-baseddiagnostic assaysUseof multiple fluorophores simultaneously would allow detection of multiplepathogensArapid method to generate new antibodies based on predicted epitope sequences ofescape filoviruses mutants Potentialfor rapid and inexpensive field-based diagnosis of filoviruses

詳細技術說明

Apanel of novel diagnostic antibodies for all six pathogenic filoviruses.

*Abstract

Thistechnology includes novel platforms for generation of intrinsically fluorescentantibodies (scFv) that can be reconfigured rapidly to respond to mutations attarget pathogen epitopes. Using libraries of V_H and V_L ofantibody fragments derived from immunized mice, researchers were able tosynthesize large repertoires of high-affinity fluorescent antibodies at afraction of the cost of conventional monoclonals. The production of these antibodies is innovative, inexpensive, and rapid,and the use of multiple inherently fluorescent antibodies provides forflexibility in diagnostic use.

*Background

The recent outbreak of Ebola in West Africa was the most widespreadepidemic of the disease in history. This outbreak resulted in significant lossof life, caused social disruption throughout the region and had repercussionsall over the globe. Rapid spread of the disease within the infected regionscoupled with migration of infected persons has highlighted the need for rapid,robust and inexpensive diagnostic tools. There are six strains of the Ebola virus, and the current EBOV Makonastrain has mutated so that multiple known antibody epitopes have changed.Current diagnostics for active infections are mainly dependent on the sensitivePCR platforms which are expensive and require trained personnel for proper use.Moreover, there are ELISA-based detection platforms, but they suffer from lowsensitivity and specificity relative to PCR-based assays.  Furthermore, most of the diagnostic platformsof all types have focused on detection of one pathogen (EBOV) out of the sixpathogenic filoviruses.  Additionalconcerns are raised regarding filovirus mutants, which cannot be detected bystandard assays, and would invalidate diagnostic platforms that cannot rapidlybe modified to detect emerging viral mutants. There exists a present need for adiagnostic that can accurately detect all six pathogenic filoviruses.

國家/地區

美國