Discordant antigenic drift of neuraminidase and hemagglutinin in H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses.

ABSTRACT: Seasonal epidemics caused by influenza virus are driven by antigenic changes (drift) in viral surface glycoproteins that allow evasion from preexisting humoral immunity. Antigenic drift is a feature of not only the hemagglutinin (HA), but also of neuraminidase (NA). We have evaluated the antigenic evolution of each protein in H1N1 and H3N2 viruses used in vaccine formulations during the last 15 y by analysis of HA and NA inhibition titers and antigenic cartography. As previously shown for HA, genetic changes in NA did not always lead to an antigenic change. The noncontinuous pattern of NA drift did not correspond closely with HA drift in either subtype. Although NA drift was demonstrated using ferret sera, we show that these changes also impact recognition by NA-inhibiting antibodies in hu

SUBMITTER: Sandbulte MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3251064 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature