Encyclopedia of Experiments: Immunology
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Transcript
Begin with serially diluted human serum containing varying concentrations of neutralizing antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2.
Introduce pseudotyped viruses with luciferase RNA, integrase, and reverse transcriptase, encapsulated within a lipid bilayer containing SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins.
Antibodies neutralize the viruses based on serum dilution, with lower dilutions exhibiting maximum neutralization.
Introduce target cells expressing angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptors or ACE2 receptors and transmembrane protease serine-2 or TMPRSS2.
In higher serum dilutions, non-neutralized viruses interact with ACE2 receptors, while TMPRSS2 cleaves the spike protein, enabling virus fusion.
Upon entry, luciferase RNA is reverse-transcribed to DNA that integrates into the host genome and produces luciferase enzyme.
Replace the medium with an assay buffer containing luciferase substrate and a lysing agent.
The cells lyse, releasing intracellular luciferase, which interacts with the substrate and produces high luminescence.
Quantify luminescence across serum dilutions to determine viral neutralization percentage — the dilution achieving fifty percent neutralization represents the neutralization titer.
