Pre-existing immunity to influenza virus hemagglutinin stalk might drive selection for antibody-escape mutant viruses in a human challenge model.

ABSTRACT: The conserved region of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) stalk (or stem) has gained attention as a potent target for universal influenza vaccines^1-5. Although the HA stalk region is relatively well conserved, the evolutionarily dynamic nature of influenza viruses⁶ raises concerns about the possible emergence of viruses carrying stalk escape mutation(s) under sufficient immune pressure. Here we show that immune pressure on the HA stalk can lead to expansion of escape mutant viruses in study participants challenged with a 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus inoculum containing an A388V polymorphism in the HA stalk (45% wild type and 55% mutant). High level of stalk antibody titers was associated with the selection of the mutant virus both in humans and in vitro. Although the

SUBMITTER: Park JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7450362 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature