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Scientists Isolate Antibodies From Vaccinated Blood as Potential Measles Treatment
Researchers isolated four potent antibodies from the blood of a vaccinated individual that blocked measles virus in laboratory tests. The United States eliminated measles in 2000 but faces outbreaks due to declining vaccination rates. The antibodies could offer post-exposure treatment for those ineligible for the vaccine such as infants and immunocompromised people.
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Scientists have isolated four potent antibodies from the blood of a 56-year-old vaccinated woman that block the measles virus. The antibodies were identified in a study published Thursday in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. The work could lead to a treatment for people exposed to the highly contagious respiratory disease.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 after a safe and effective vaccine became available in the 1960s. Sporadic cases and outbreaks have occurred since then. However dropping vaccination rates have led to large outbreaks in multiple states and the country is approaching a point where the virus could spread freely again.
New treatments would be particularly useful for immunocompromised individuals and babies under one year old who cannot receive the vaccine. The antibodies target two key proteins on the virus surface. One protein allows the virus to attach to cells while the other enables it to fuse with and enter them.
In tests on rodents the experimental antibodies reduced virus levels in the lungs when administered one to two days after infection. The approach is not intended to replace vaccination. A spokesperson for the research team said the treatment would always be more expensive than the vaccine and prevention remains the priority for public health.
The study examined antibodies that bind to the H protein which helps the virus latch onto cells and the F protein which changes shape to allow cell entry. Two of the selected antibodies lock the F protein in place while the other two block the H protein's attachment function.
