Dengue virus co-circulates as four serotypes, and sequential infections with more than one serotype are common. One hypothesis for the increased severity seen in secondary infections is antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) leading to increased replication in Fc receptor-bearing cells. In this study, we have generated a panel of human monoclonal antibodies to dengue virus. Antibodies to the structural precursor-membrane protein (prM) form a major component of the response. These antibodies are highly cross-reactive among the dengue virus serotypes and, even at high concentrations, do not neutralize infection but potently promote ADE. We propose that the partial cleavage of prM from the viral surface reduces the density of antigen available for viral neutralization, leaving dengue viruses susceptible to ADE by antibody to prM, a finding that has implications for future vaccine design.

Summary. -Viral surface proteins, premembrane protein (prM) and envelope (E) protein have been shown to induce a production of antibodies that are involved in both enhancement and neutralization. To explore the feasibility of modifying the relative immune responses to prM and E proteins, four DNA constructs were created and administered into groups of Balb/c mice; pPW01 contains prM and E genes of DENV1, pPW02 contains prM and E genes of DENV2, pPW03 contains DENV1 prM and DENV2 E, and pPW04 contains DENV2 prM and DENV1 E. Exchange of either prM or E from a heterologous serotype does not appear to have an effect on the immunogenicity of the proteins. We have proved that the chimeric pPW03 and pPW04 constructs can produce humoral response in mice. Immunized sera were subjected to neutralization and enhancement assays against DENV2. The results showed that only serotype-specific anti-E antibodies conferred protective function, while the cross-reactive anti-E and anti-prM enhanced infection. In addition, the enhancement of DENV2 infection exhibited a serotype-preference for anti-E antibodies while such response was not observed with antiprM, reflecting a degree of structural conservation of prM. Taken together, neutralization and enhancement appeared to occur at the same time during the course of infection. Successful prevention of severe symptoms of DENV infection depends on the ability to induce high levels of neutralizing antibodies to subdue the effect of enhancing antibodies.

Serum uric acid (SUA) is an important biomarker for prognosis and management of gout and other diseases. The development of a low-cost, simple, rapid and reliable assay for SUA detection is of great importance. In the present study, to save the cost of enzyme production and to shorten the reaction time for uric acid quantification, bifunctional proteins with uricase and peroxidase activities were engineered. In-frame fusion of Candida utilis uricase (CUOX) and Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) resulted in two versions of the bifunctional protein, CUOX-VHb (CV) and VHb-CUOX (VC). To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the production of proteins with uricase and peroxidase activities. Based on the measurement of the initial rates of the coupled reaction (between uricase and peroxidase), CV was proven to be the most efficient enzyme followed by VC and native enzymes (CUOX+VHb), respectively. CV was further applied for the development of an assay for colorimetric detection of SUA, which was based on VHb-catalyzed oxidation of Amplex Red in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Under the optimized conditions, the assay exhibited a linear relationship between the absorbance and UA concentration over the range of 2.5 to 50 μM, with a detection limit of 1 μM. In addition, the assay can be performed at a single pH (8.0) so adjustment of the pH for peroxidase activity was not required. This advantage helped to further reduce costs and time. The developed assay was also successfully applied to detect UA in pooled human serum with the recoveries over 94.8%. These results suggest that the proposed assay holds great potential for clinical application.

fluorescence Amplex Red assay. This method can identify the preference of α2,6-linked sialic acid or α2,3-linked sialic acid. Moreover, to avoid the bias of input virus, reverse genetic virus using NA gene from human isolated H5N1 were generated and used to compare with the seasonal influenza virus. Lastly, the substrate specificity profile was further confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the enzymatic product. RESULTS:The H5N1 NA showed higher activity on α2,3-linked sialic acid than α2,6-linked (P < 0.0001). To compare the NA activity between the H5N1 and seasonal influenza viruses, reverse genetic viruses carrying the NA of H5N1 viruses and NA from a seasonal H3N2 virus was generated. In these reverse genetic viruses, the NA activity of the H5N1 showed markedly higher activity against α2,3-linked sialic acid than that of the H3N2 virus, whereas the activities on α2,6-linkage were comparable. Interestingly, NA from an H5N1 human isolate that was previously shown to have heamagglutinin (HA) with dual specificity showed reduced activity on α2,3-linkage. To confirm the substrate specificity profile, HPLC analytic of enzymatic product was performed. Similar to Amplex red assay, H5N1 virus showed abundant preference on α2,3-linked sialic acid. CONCLUSION:H5N1 virus maintains the avian specific NA and NA changes may be needed to accompany changes in HA receptor preference for the viral adaptation to humans. Key words: H5N1 avian influenza virus; Neuraminidase; Sialic acid; Adaptation; Substrate preference Core tip: We analyzed neuraminidase (NA) substrate specificity of avian influenza H5N1 strains from humans and birds using a modified fluorescence assay, and the substrate specificity profile was further confirmed by Abstract AIM: To characterise neuraminidase (NA) substrate specificity of avian influenza H5N1 strains from humans and birds comparing to seasonal influenza virus. METHODS:Avian influenza H5N1 strains from humans and birds were recruited for characterising their NA substrate specificity by using a modified commercial