Antigenic mapping of an H9N2 avian influenza virus reveals two discrete antigenic sites and a novel mechanism of immune escape.

ABSTRACT: H9N2 avian influenza virus is a major cause of poultry production loss across Asia leading to the wide use of vaccines. Efficacy of vaccines is often compromised due to the rapid emergence of antigenic variants. To improve the effectiveness of vaccines in the field, a better understanding of the antigenic epitopes of the major antigen, hemagglutinin, is required. To address this, a panel of nine monoclonal antibodies were generated against a contemporary Pakistani H9N2 isolate, which represents a major Asian H9N2 viral lineage. Antibodies were characterized in detail and used to select a total of 26 unique 'escape' mutants with substitutions across nine different amino acid residues in hemagglutinin including seven that have not been described as antigenic determinants for H9N2 viruses bef

SUBMITTER: Peacock T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4704030 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature