An Anti-Influenza Virus Antibody Inhibits Viral Infection by Reducing Nucleus Entry of Influenza Nucleoprotein

To date, four main mechanisms mediating inhibition of influenza infection by anti-hemagglutinin antibodies have been reported. Anti-globular-head-domain antibodies block either influenza virus receptor binding to the host cell or progeny virion release from the host cell. Anti-stem region antibodies hinder the membrane fusion process or induce antibody-dependent cytotoxicity to infected cells. In this study we identified a human monoclonal IgG1 antibody (CT302), which does not inhibit both the receptor binding and the membrane fusion process but efficiently reduced the nucleus entry of viral nucleoprotein suggesting a novel inhibition mechanism of viral infection by antibody. This antibody binds to the subtype-H3 hemagglutinin globular head domain of group-2 influenza viruses circulating throughout the population between 1997 and 2007.