Università della Svizzera italiana

Structural basis for broad HIV-1 neutralization by the MPER-specific human broadly neutralizing antibody LN01

Pinto, Dora ; Fenwick, Craig ; Caillat, Christophe ; Silacci, Chiara ; Guseva, Serafima ; Dehez, François ; Chipot, Christophe ; Barbieri, Sonia ; Minola, Andrea ; Jarrossay, David ; Tomaras, Georgia D. ; Shen, Xiaoying ; Riva, Agostino ; Tarkowski, Maciej ; Schwartz, Olivier ; Bruel, Timothée ; Dufloo, Jérémy ; Seaman, Michael S. ; Montefiori, David C. ; Lanzavecchia, Antonio ; Corti, Davide ; Pantaleo, Giuseppe ; Weissenhorn, Winfried

In: Cell host & microbe, 2019, vol. 26, no. 5, p. p. 623-637.e8

Potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) are the hallmark of HIV-1 protection by vaccination. The membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the HIV-1 gp41 fusion protein is targeted by the most broadly reactive HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies. Here, we examine the structural and molecular mechansims of neutralization by anti-MPER bnAb, LN01, which was isolated from lymph-node-derived...

Università della Svizzera italiana

Development of broad‐spectrum human monoclonal antibodies for rabies post‐exposure prophylaxis

De Benedictis, Paola ; Minola, Andrea ; Rota Nodari, Elena ; Aiello, Roberta ; Zecchin, Barbara ; Salomoni, Angela ; Foglierini, Mathilde ; Agatic, Gloria ; Vanzetta, Fabrizia ; Lavenir, Rachel ; Lepelletier, Anthony ; Bentley, Emma ; Weiss, Robin ; Cattoli, Giovanni ; Capua, Ilaria ; Sallusto, Federica ; Wright, Edward ; Lanzavecchia, Antonio ; Bourhy, Hervé ; Corti, Davide

In: EMBO molecular medicine, 2016, vol. 8, no. 4, p. 407-421

Currently available rabies post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for use in humans includes equine or human rabies immunoglobulins (RIG). The replacement of RIG with an equally or more potent and safer product is strongly encouraged due to the high costs and limited availability of existing RIG. In this study, we identified two broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies that represent a...

Università della Svizzera italiana

Neutralization and clearance of GM-CSF by autoantibodies in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis

Piccoli, Luca ; Campo, Ilaria ; Fregni, Chiara Silacci ; Fernandez Rodriguez, Blanca Maria ; Minola, Andrea ; Sallusto, Federica ; Luisetti, Maurizio ; Corti, Davide ; Lanzavecchia, Antonio

In: Nature communications, 2015, vol. 6, p. 7375

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a severe autoimmune disease caused by autoantibodies that neutralize GM-CSF resulting in impaired function of alveolar macrophages. In this study, we characterize 21 GM-CSF autoantibodies from PAP patients and find that somatic mutations critically determine their specificity for the self-antigen. Individual antibodies only partially neutralize GM-CSF...

Università della Svizzera italiana

Molecularly specific detection of bacterial lipoteichoic acid for diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection of the bone

Pickett, Julie E. ; Thompson, John M. ; Sadowska, Agnieszka ; Tkaczyk, Christine ; Sellman, Bret R. ; Minola, Andrea ; Corti, Davide ; Lanzavecchia, Antonio ; Miller, Lloyd S. ; Thorek, Daniel LJ

In: Bone research, 2018, vol. 6, p. 13

Discriminating sterile inflammation from infection, especially in cases of aseptic loosening versus an actual prosthetic joint infection, is challenging and has significant treatment implications. Our goal was to evaluate a novel human monoclonal antibody (mAb) probe directed against the Gram-positive bacterial surface molecule lipoteichoic acid (LTA). Specificity and affinity were assessed in...