A Single Amino Acid Substitution at Residue 218 of Hemagglutinin Improves the Growth of Influenza A(H7N9) Candidate Vaccine Viruses.

ABSTRACT: The potential avian influenza pandemic remains a threat to public health, as the avian-origin influenza A(H7N9) virus has caused more than 1,560 laboratory-confirmed human infections since 2013, with nearly 40% mortality. Development of low-pathogenic candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) for vaccine production is essential for pandemic preparedness. However, the suboptimal growth of CVVs in mammalian cells and chicken eggs is often a challenge. By introducing a single adaptive substitution, G218E, into the hemagglutinin (HA), we generated reassortant A(H7N9)-G218E CVVs that were characterized by significantly enhanced growth in both cells and eggs. These G218E CVVs retained the original antigenicity, as determined by a hemagglutination inhibition assay, and effectively protected ferrets from l

SUBMITTER: Li X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6744242 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature