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The conserved bridging domain on HCV E1E2 glycoprotein complex is targeted by neutralizing antibodies from diverse lineages

Chen, F.; Nguyen, Y. T. K.; Lee, Y.-Z.; Giang, E.; Lau, S. C.; Koide, Y.; Hung, S.-H.; Ueno, L.; He, L.; Fuerst, T. R.; Lauer, G. M.; Stanfield, R. L.; Zhu, J.; Wilson, I. A.; Law, M.

2025-11-07 immunology
10.1101/2025.11.05.686883 bioRxiv
Show abstract

The induction of potent and cross-reactive neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses remains a challenge in vaccine development against antigenically diverse viruses such as hepatitis C virus (HCV). The HCV E1E2 glycoprotein complex contains two major neutralizing sites: the neutralizing face (NF) and the less explored bridging domain (BD). Here, we characterized 25 BD-targeting nAbs isolated from infection or immunization. These antibodies arise from diverse B cell lineages but share convergent CDRH3 features. Epitope mapping by alanine scanning and negative-stain electron microscopy revealed overlapping epitopes on BD spanning antigenic regions AR4 and AR5, with variable back layer engagement. The crystal structure of a non-human primate BD nAb RM3-26 in complex with E2 uncovered a back layer-directed recognition mode analogous to that of the human nAb hcab40. Together, BD- and NF-directed nAbs exhibited additivity in their neutralization, highlighting BD as a conserved site of vulnerability on HCV and a valuable target for rational vaccine design.

Published in Cell Reports (predicted rank #1) · training set

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