Playing hide and seek: how glycosylation of the influenza virus hemagglutinin can modulate the immune response to infection.

ABSTRACT: Seasonal influenza A viruses (IAV) originate from pandemic IAV and have undergone changes in antigenic structure, including addition of glycans to the hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein. The viral HA is the major target recognized by neutralizing antibodies and glycans have been proposed to shield antigenic sites on HA, thereby promoting virus survival in the face of widespread vaccination and/or infection. However, addition of glycans can also interfere with the receptor binding properties of HA and this must be compensated for by additional mutations, creating a fitness barrier to accumulation of glycosylation sites. In addition, glycans on HA are also recognized by phylogenetically ancient lectins of the innate immune system and the benefit provided by evasion of humoral immunity is balanc

SUBMITTER: Tate MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3970151 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature