Biological and protective properties of immune sera directed to the influenza virus neuraminidase.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

The envelope of influenza A viruses contains two large antigens, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Conventional influenza virus vaccines induce neutralizing antibodies that are predominantly directed to the HA globular head, a domain that is subject to extensive antigenic drift. Antibodies directed to NA are induced at much lower levels, probably as a consequence of the immunodominance of the HA antigen. Although antibodies to NA may affect virus release by inhibiting the sialidase function of the glycoprotein, the antigen has been largely neglected in past vaccine design. In this study, we characterized the protective properties of monospecific immune sera that were generated by vaccination with recombinant RNA replicon particles encoding NA. These immune sera

SUBMITTER: Halbherr SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4300740 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature