Influence of microbiota-driven natural antibodies on dengue transmission

Abstract

Dengue has had a significant global health impact, with a dramatic increase in incidence over the past 50 years, affecting more than 100 countries. The absence of a specific treatment or widely applicable vaccine emphasizes the urgent need for innovative strategies. This perspective reevaluates current evidence supporting the concept of dual protection against the dengue virus (DENV) through natural antibodies (NAbs), particularly anti-α-Gal antibodies induced by the host’s gut microbiome (GM). These anti-α-Gal antibodies serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they can directly identify DENV, as mosquito-derived viral particles have been observed to carry α-Gal, thereby providing a safeguard against human infections. Secondly, they possess the potential to impede virus development in the vector by interacting with the vector’s microbiome and triggering infection-refractory states. The intricate interplay between human GM and NAbs on one side and DENV and vector microbiome on the other suggests a novel approach, using NAbs to directly target DENV and simultaneously disrupt vector microbiome to decrease pathogen transmission and vector competence, thereby blocking DENV transmission cycles.

Immuno-Haematologic Aspects of Dengue Infection: Biologic Insights and Clinical Implications

“…A clear delineation of immune cell subsets driving severe dengue at each stage of disease, as well as the corresponding cytokine profile would be of critical importance. The role of the host gut microbiome in the progression of dengue is an active area of study, and while the interaction between gut flora and the host immune response is becoming well established [119], its impact on haematologic manifestations including bleeding remains unknown. Given that the gut microbiome is amenable to therapeutic intervention, this would be a key area for future investigations.…”