Generation and Characterization of the Monoclonal Antibody Panel Specific to the NS1 Protein of the Influenza A Virus

Abstract

The paper reports on the production of a panel of seven new monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) capable of specifically binding to the NS1_1–124 fragment of the influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) NS1 protein in indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), as well as to the full-size native NS1 protein in cells infected with different subtypes of the influenza A virus (A(H1N1), A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H2N2), A(H3N2), and A(H9N2)). A sensitive variant of the microcultural ELISA based on the use of the generated MAbs is proposed; it may be utilized to detect NS1 protein in infected cells and to study its antigenic variability. The results of the performed microcultural ELISA demonstrate type- and subtype-specific antigenic variability of the influenza virus NS1 protein.