| Dengue virus (DenV) infects an estimated 50-100 million people annually and there is currently no vaccine or targeted treatment. Understanding the interactions between DenV and the host in a relevant system has led to the study of DenV infection in primary human Dendritic cells (DCs) and monocytes. To take full advantage of this system we have developed monoclonal antibodies that target the DenV NS2B/3 protease complex by immunizing mice with Newcastle disease and Semliki Forest viral vectors expressing the NS2B/3 and with recombinant NS2B/3 produced in bacteria. These antibodies will serve as a tool to study the role of the NS2B/3 in the inhibition of interferon in DCs and monocytes. Through a proteomics-based approach and by studying individual proteins in the interferon production pathway, we have started to elucidate the mechanism of DenV evasion of innate immunity and provided a foundation for future research in this field. |
