Targeting the Complement-Activating Segment of Pathogenic Coronaviruses: Antipeptide Antibody Abrogation of Immune Adherence Hemagglutination (IAHA)

This study investigates the development of therapeutic antipeptide antibodies designed to inhibit the complement-activating segments of high-consequence pathogenic coronaviruses, specifically targeting the nucleocapsid protein. By utilizing specific peptide analogs (N115, N116, and N120), we demonstrate the ability of targeted antibodies to abrogate complement activation.Key Technical Highlights:Target Protein: Focus on a putative complement-activating sequence within the nucleocapsid of coronaviruses.Peptide Analogs: Development and testing of specific analogs, including N115, N116, and N120, as potential inhibitors.Functional Inhibition: Observation of the inhibition of immune adherence hemagglutination (IAHA).Binding Kinetics: Effective inhibition observed between 2 – 4 nM antibody and 4.3 – 8.5 nM N115, indicating high-affinity binding and potent neutralization.This research highlights a novel approach to mitigating the inflammatory response and pathological complement activation associated with severe coronavirus infections through precise epitope-targeted antibody therapy.