Characterization of Hemagglutinin Antigens on Influenza Virus and within Vaccines Using Electron Microscopy.

ABSTRACT: Influenza viruses affect millions of people worldwide on an annual basis. Although vaccines are available, influenza still causes significant human mortality and morbidity. Vaccines target the major influenza surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA). However, circulating HA subtypes undergo continual variation in their dominant epitopes, requiring vaccines to be updated annually. A goal of next-generation influenza vaccine research is to produce broader protective immunity against the different types, subtypes, and strains of influenza viruses. One emerging strategy is to focus the immune response away from variable epitopes, and instead target the conserved stem region of HA. To increase the display and immunogenicity of the HA stem, nanoparticles are being developed to display epitopes in

SUBMITTER: Gallagher JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6027289 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature