Cross-Reaction, Enhancement, and Neutralization Activity of Dengue Virus Antibodies against Zika Virus: A Study in the Mexican Population

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV), an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus, has quickly spread in many regions around the world where dengue virus (DENV) is endemic. This represents a major health concern, given the high homology between these two viruses, which can result in cross-reactivity. The aim of this study was to determine the cross-reacting antibody response of the IgM and IgG classes against the recombinant envelope protein of ZIKV (rE-ZIKV) in sera from patients with acute-phase infection of different clinical forms of dengue, i.e., dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) (before the arrival of ZIKV in Mexico 2010), as well as acute-phase sera of ZIKV patients, together with the implications in neutralization and antibody-dependent enhancement. Differences in IgM responses were observed in a number of DF and DHF patients whose sera cross-reacted with the rE-ZIK antigen, with 42% recognition between acute-phase DHF and ZIKV but 27% recognition between DF and ZIKV. Regarding IgG antibodies, 71.5% from the DF group showed cross-reactivity to rE-ZIKV in contrast with 50% and only 25% of DHF and ZIKV serum samples, respectively, which specifically recognized the homologous antigen. The DHF group showed more enhancement of ZIKV infection of FCRγ-expressing cells compared to the DF group. Furthermore, the DHF group also showed a higher cross-neutralizing ability than that of DF. This is the first report where DF and DHF serum samples were evaluated for cross-reactivity against Zika protein and ZIKV. Furthermore, DENV serum samples cross-protect against ZIKV through neutralizing antibodies but at the same time mediate antibody-dependent enhancement in the sequential ZIKV infection.

COVID-19 in India: Are Biological and Environmental Factors Helping to Stem the Incidence and Severity?

“…It can be assumed that some degrees of sequence homology or conformational similarities among the structural proteins, especially the S protein, of SARS-CoV-2 and the endemic corona viruses (HCoV-229E, HCoV NL-63, HCoV-OC4, HCoV-HKU1) may result in cross-reactive immunity (circulating antibodies or primed T-cells) in persons with prior exposure to the latter viruses, and this may modulate the course and outcome of COVID-19. This kind of crossreactive immunity modulating the host-response to viral infection is well-known and widely studied in infections with flaviviruses (between different subtypes of Dengue viruses or between the Dengue virus and Zika virus) [10,11]. Although the cross-reactive immunity may be protective in some cases, it may lead to augmented harmful reactions in other cases which has been termed antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), and these processes have been established from epidemiological studies as well as in animal models [10,12].…”

Neurological disease in adults with Zika and chikungunya virus infection in Northeast Brazil: a prospective observational study

“…For dengue, sequential infection by different serotypes can cause more severe disease. 16 Although laboratory studies suggest that Zika virus entry into cells can be enhanced by dengue antibodies, 17 , 18 epidemiological data indicate that previous exposure to dengue might protect against symptomatic Zika infection. 19 Infection with more than one pathogen is thought to contribute to more severe disease in some brain infections.…”

Does Early Childhood Vaccination Protect Against COVID-19?

“…Moreover, like COVID-19, measles causes respiratory complications and is transmitted through sneezing and coughing droplets. The humoral immunity sharing was already reported between Zika and Dengue fever viruses (Montecillo-Aguado et al, 2019). Previously, it was also proposed that the winter flu among children could increase the level of antibodies that fight against other diseases including Covid-19 (Dong et al, 2020).…”