Emerging Infectious Disease ISSN: 1080-6059

Using Monoclonal Antibodies to Prevent Mucosal Transmission of Epidemic Infectious Diseases

Larry Zeitlin*, Richard A. Cone*†, and Kevin J. Whaley*†

Author affiliations: *ReProtect, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; †The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Figure 1

Topical delivery of pathogen-specific MAbs can protect the mucosal epithelium. (Top) Protective MAbs (in this figure, secretory immunoglobulin A; SIgA) can be topically applied to the mucosa in various ways. (Bottom) In mucus, MAbs are believed to act by a number of mechanisms to prevent penetration of the mucous layer and subsequent infection of target cells (62). MAbs can trap pathogens in the mucous gel by forming low affinity bonds with mucin fibers and can agglutinate pathogens into cluster

Figure 1. Topical delivery of pathogen-specific MAbs can protect the mucosal epithelium. (Top) Protective MAbs (in this figure, secretory immunoglobulin A; SIgA) can be topically applied to the mucosa in various ways. (Bottom) In mucus, MAbs are believed to act by a number of mechanisms to prevent penetration of the mucous layer and subsequent infection of target cells (62). MAbs can trap pathogens in the mucous gel by forming low affinity bonds with mucin fibers and can agglutinate pathogens into clusters too large to diffuse through the mucous gel.

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