Co-immunization with hemagglutinin stem immunogens elicits cross-group neutralizing antibodies and broad protection against influenza A viruses.

ABSTRACT: Current influenza vaccines predominantly induce immunity to the hypervariable hemagglutinin (HA) head, requiring frequent vaccine reformulation. Conversely, the immunosubdominant yet conserved HA stem harbors a supersite that is targeted by broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), representing a prime target for universal vaccines. Here, we showed that the co-immunization of two HA stem immunogens derived from group 1 and 2 influenza A viruses elicits cross-group protective immunity and neutralizing antibody responses in mice, ferrets, and nonhuman primates (NHPs). Immunized mice were protected from multiple group 1 and 2 viruses, and all animal models showed broad serum-neutralizing activity. A bnAb isolated from an immunized NHP broadly neutralized and protected against diverse viruses,

SUBMITTER: Moin SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9772109 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature