Glycan shielding of the influenza virus hemagglutinin contributes to immunopathology in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Pandemic influenza viruses historically have had few potential sites for N-linked glycosylation on the globular head of the hemagglutinin (HA) on emergence from the avian reservoir. Gain of glycans within antigenic sites of the HA during adaptation to the mammalian lung facilitates immune evasion.

Objectives

In this study, we sought to determine in mice how exposure to highly glycosylated viruses affects immunity to poorly glycosylated variants to model the emergence of a novel pandemic strain of a circulating subtype.

Methods

We engineered the 1968 H3N2 pandemic strain to express an additional two or four potential sites for glycosylation on the globular head of the HA. Mice were infected sequentially with highly glycosylated variants followed by poorly gly

SUBMITTER: Wanzeck K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3159075 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature