Use of poxvirus display to select antibodies specific for complex membrane antigens

ABSTRACT

Antibody discovery against complex antigens is limited by the availability of a reproducible pure source of concentrated properly folded antigen. We have developed a technology to enable direct incorporation of membrane proteins such as GPCRs and into the membrane of poxvirus. The protein of interest is correctly folded and expressed in the cell-derived viral membrane and does not require any detergents or refolding before downstream use. The poxvirus is selective in which proteins are incorporated into the viral membrane, making the antigen poxvirus an antigenically cleaner target for in vitro panning. Antigen-expressing virus can be readily purified at scale and used for antibody selection using any in vitro display platform.

KEYWORDS:

• Antibody
• GPCR
• ion channel
• membrane
• panning
• phage
• poxvirus

Abbreviations

BSL: Biosafety level; ECD: Extracellular domain, EEV: Extracellular Enveloped Virus, eGFP: Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein; GPCR: G protein Coupled Receptor; IMV: Intracellular Mature Virus; MVA: Modified Vaccinia Ankara; Sema4D: Semaphorin 4D; VLP: Virus-Like Particle.

Acknowledgments

Images in figures were created with Biorender.com

Disclosure statement

All authors have stock or stock options in Vaccinex, Inc.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Vaccinex, Inc.