<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop
human recombinant neutralizing
IgG monoclonal antibodies to
hepatitis A virus (HAV) by
baculovirus expression system.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>The heavy and
light chain
genes of two
human-derived neutralizing Fab
antibodies to HAV were cloned into
baculovirus expression vector Pac-kappa-Fc and Pac-L-Fc, and further expressed in
insect cells as
IgG antibodies. The
IgG products were purified and well characterized.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The
baculovirus expressed McAb HAFc16 fully retained the
specificity of binding to
hepatitis A virus and the competition with
mouse anti-
hepatitis A virus McAb using
ELISA. The viral neutralization assay
in vitro demonstrated the retention of antibody function after expression of the
human antibody in
insect cells. The other expressed antibody HAFc78 also has the neutralizing activity but it is directed against different
epitopes of HAV when compared with HAFc16.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The recombinant
baculovirus/
insect cells expressed
human neutralizing
IgG antibodies to
hepatitis A virus retained all
biological functions specific for
hepatitis A virus. The results provided the possibility of using these
antibodies to rapidly protect high
risk or early exposure
populations from
hepatitis A virus infection.</p>