Dissection of Epitope-Specific Mechanisms of Neutralization of Influenza Virus by Intact IgG and Fab Fragments

ABSTRACT

The neutralizing antibody (nAb) response against the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) fusion glycoprotein is important for preventing viral infection, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which these antibodies act. Here we investigated the effect of nAb binding and the role of IgG bivalency in the inhibition of HA function for nAbs targeting distinct HA epitopes. HC19 targets the receptor binding pocket at the distal end of HA, while FI6v3 binds primarily to the HA2 fusion subunit toward the base of the stalk. Surprisingly, HC19 inhibited the ability of HA to induce lipid mixing by preventing the structural rearrangement of HA under fusion-activating conditions. These results suggest that nAbs such as HC19 not only act by blocking receptor binding but also inhibit key late-stage HA conformational changes required for fusion. Intact HC19 IgG was also shown to cross-link separate virus particles, burying large proportions of HA within aggregates where they are blocked from interacting with target membranes; Fabs yielded no such aggregation and displayed weaker neutralization than IgG, emphasizing the impact of bivalency on the ability to neutralize virus. In contrast, the stem-targeting nAb FI6v3 did not aggregate particles. The Fab fragment was significantly less effective than IgG in preventing both membrane disruption and fusion. We infer that interspike cross-linking within a given particle by FI6v3 IgG may be critical to its potent neutralization, as no significant neutralization occurred with Fabs. These results demonstrate that IgG bivalency enhances HA inhibition through functionally important modes not evident in pared-down Fab-soluble HA structures.

IMPORTANCE The influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) fusion glycoprotein mediates entry into target cells and is the primary antigenic target of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). Our current structural understanding of mechanisms of antibody (Ab)-mediated neutralization largely relies on the high-resolution characterization of antigen binding (Fab) fragments in complex with soluble, isolated antigen constructs by cryo-electron microscopy (EM) single-particle reconstruction or X-ray crystallography. Interactions between full-length IgG and whole virions have not been well characterized, and a gap remains in our understanding of how intact Abs neutralize virus and prevent infection. Using structural and biophysical approaches, we observed that Ab-mediated inhibition of HA function and neutralization of virus infectivity occur by multiple coexisting mechanisms, are largely dependent on the specific epitope that is targeted, and are highly dependent on the bivalent nature of IgG molecules.