Fig. 7.

LCMV can efficiently spread through a culture despite blocking extracellular transmission using a potent neutralising antibody. (A) Schematic representation of the model for intercellular LCMV transmission in the presence of potent neutralizing antibody M28 that targets GP-2. Virus released via the canonical plasma membrane egress mechanism are rendered non-infectious through M28 binding the GP-2 portion of the spike complex. Only virions or RNPs that pass-through TNT-like connections can transmit infectivity to new cells. Image created with Biorender. (B) A549 cells were infected with rLCMV-eGFP at an MOI of 0.1 that was either pre-treated with antibody M28 (blue plotted points; 5 µg/mL antibody for 1 h) or virus only (in the absence of antibody; purple plotted points). For virus + antibody (green plotted points), 5 µg/mL antibody was added to cultures at 3 hpi, following LCMV entry and uncoating, which remained for the duration of infection. The total green count (number of green cells) was measured every 6 h and normalised against virus only (purple) cultures at 36 hpi. The average of three independent experimental repeats is shown (n = 3), with error bars showing standard deviation at each time point. Statistical analysis (T test) was performed for each condition against the respective virus only control timepoint.