A Rat Basophilic Leukaemia cell sensor for the detection of pathogenic viruses

A Rat Basophilic Leukemia (RBL) cell sensor is developed for the detection and identification of pathogenic viruses. Recombinant sdAb-Fc antibodies were constructed by linking virus-specific single domain antibody to mouse IgE-Fc fragment. The sdAb-Fc can bind to FcεRI receptors on RBL cells and can be cross-linked by target viruses leading to cell activation and Ca2+ influx reflected by the increase of intracellular fluorescence. The responses of RBL cells to viruses in real time could be observed using fluorescence microscopy. 103 TCID50 of H5N1 viruses and 10 LD50 of rabies viruses could be detected in less than three minutes. An excess quantity of non-relevant viruses did not interfere with the recognition of target viruses.

► A Rat Basophil Leukemia (RBL) cell sensor has been developed for the detection of pathogenic viruses.
► Single domain antibodies to H5N1 and to rabies were created and fused to mouse IgE-Fc fragment.
► The sdAb-Fc/FcεRI complexes on RBL cell was cross-linked by target viruses leading to a Ca2+ influx.
► 103 TCID50/ml of H5N1 and 10 LD50/ml of rabies viruses could be detected in three minutes.