scholarly journals Nonreplicating Influenza A Virus Vaccines Confer Broad Protection against Lethal Challenge

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Baz ◽  
Kobporn Boonnak ◽  
Myeisha Paskel ◽  
Celia Santos ◽  
Timothy Powell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Lethal Challenge ◽  
Challenge Virus ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Hemagglutinin Protein ◽  
Live Attenuated Influenza Virus

ABSTRACT New vaccine technologies are being investigated for their ability to elicit broadly cross-protective immunity against a range of influenza viruses. We compared the efficacies of two intranasally delivered nonreplicating influenza virus vaccines (H1 and H5 S-FLU) that are based on the suppression of the hemagglutinin signal sequence, with the corresponding H1N1 and H5N1 cold-adapted (ca) live attenuated influenza virus vaccines in mice and ferrets. Administration of two doses of H1 or H5 S-FLU vaccines protected mice and ferrets from lethal challenge with homologous, heterologous, and heterosubtypic influenza viruses, and two doses of S-FLU and ca vaccines yielded comparable effects. Importantly, when ferrets immunized with one dose of H1 S-FLU or ca vaccine were challenged with the homologous H1N1 virus, the challenge virus failed to transmit to naive ferrets by the airborne route. S-FLU technology can be rapidly applied to any emerging influenza virus, and the promising preclinical data support further evaluation in humans. IMPORTANCE Influenza viruses continue to represent a global public health threat, and cross-protective vaccines are needed to prevent seasonal and pandemic influenza. Currently licensed influenza vaccines are based on immunity to the hemagglutinin protein that is highly variable. However, T cell responses directed against highly conserved viral proteins contribute to clearance of the virus and confer broadly cross-reactive and protective immune responses against a range of influenza viruses. In this study, two nonreplicating pseudotyped influenza virus vaccines were compared with their corresponding live attenuated influenza virus vaccines, and both elicited robust protection against homologous and heterosubtypic challenge in mice and ferrets, making them promising candidates for further evaluation in humans.

scholarly journals Alternative Strategy for a Quadrivalent Live Attenuated Influenza Virus Vaccine

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhimin Wan ◽  
Stivalis Cardenas Garcia ◽  
Jing Liu ◽  
Jefferson Santos ◽  
Silvia Carnaccini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Seasonal Influenza ◽  
Influenza Virus Vaccine ◽  
H1n1 Influenza ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Influenza B ◽  
Lethal Challenge ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Live Attenuated Influenza Virus

ABSTRACT Influenza virus infections continue to pose a major public health threat worldwide associated with seasonal epidemics and sporadic pandemics. Vaccination is considered the first line of defense against influenza. Live attenuated influenza virus vaccines (LAIVs) may provide superior responses compared to inactivated vaccines because the former can better elicit a combination of humoral and cellular responses by mimicking a natural infection. Unfortunately, during the 2013–2014, 2014–2015, and 2015–2016 seasons, concerns emerged about the effectiveness of the only LAIV approved in the United States that prevented the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) from recommending its use. Such drawbacks open up the opportunity for alternative LAIV strategies that could overcome such concerns. Previously, we developed a combined strategy of temperature-sensitive mutations in the PB2 and PB1 segments and an epitope tag in the C terminus of PB1 that effectively attenuates influenza A viruses of avian and mammalian origin. More recently, we adopted a similar strategy for influenza B viruses. The resulting attenuated (att) influenza A and B viruses were safe, immunogenic, and protective against lethal influenza virus challenge in a variety of animal models. In this report, we provide evidence of the potential use of our att strategy in a quadrivalent LAIV (QIV) formulation carrying H3N2 and H1N1 influenza A virus subtype viruses and two antigenic lineages of influenza B viruses. In naive DBA/2J mice, two doses of the QIV elicited hemagglutination inhibition (HI) responses with HI titers of ≥40 and effectively protected against lethal challenge with prototypical pandemic H1N1 influenza A and influenza B virus strains. IMPORTANCE Seasonal influenza viruses infect 1 billion people worldwide and are associated with ∼500,000 deaths annually. In addition, the never-ending emergence of zoonotic influenza viruses associated with lethal human infections and of pandemic concern calls for the development of better vaccines and/or vaccination strategies against influenza virus. Regardless of the strategy, novel influenza virus vaccines must aim at providing protection against both seasonal influenza A and B viruses. In this study, we tested an alternative quadrivalent live attenuated influenza virus vaccine (QIV) formulation whose individual components have been previously shown to provide protection. We demonstrate in proof-of principle studies in mice that the QIV provides effective protection against lethal challenge with either influenza A or B virus.

scholarly journals Immunomic Analysis of the Repertoire of T-Cell Specificities for Influenza A Virus in Humans

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (24) ◽  
pp. 12241-12251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Assarsson ◽  
Huynh-Hoa Bui ◽  
John Sidney ◽  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Jean Glenn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Class I ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Virus Strains

ABSTRACT Continuing antigenic drift allows influenza viruses to escape antibody-mediated recognition, and as a consequence, the vaccine currently in use needs to be altered annually. Highly conserved epitopes recognized by effector T cells may represent an alternative approach for the generation of a more universal influenza virus vaccine. Relatively few highly conserved epitopes are currently known in humans, and relatively few epitopes have been identified from proteins other than hemagglutinin and nucleoprotein. This prompted us to perform a study aimed at identifying a set of human T-cell epitopes that would provide broad coverage against different virus strains and subtypes. To provide coverage across different ethnicities, seven different HLA supertypes were considered. More than 4,000 peptides were selected from a panel of 23 influenza A virus strains based on predicted high-affinity binding to HLA class I or class II and high conservancy levels. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 44 healthy human blood donors were tested for reactivity against HLA-matched peptides by using gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot assays. Interestingly, we found that PB1 was the major target for both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses. The 54 nonredundant epitopes (38 class I and 16 class II) identified herein provided high coverage among different ethnicities, were conserved in the majority of the strains analyzed, and were consistently recognized in multiple individuals. These results enable further functional studies of T-cell responses during influenza virus infection and provide a potential base for the development of a universal influenza vaccine.

scholarly journals Sialic Acid-Binding ProteinSp2CBMTD Protects Mice against Lethal Challenge with Emerging Influenza A (H7N9) Virus

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 1495-1504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena A. Govorkova ◽  
Tatiana Baranovich ◽  
Bindumadhav M. Marathe ◽  
Lei Yang ◽  
Margaret A. Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Sialic Acid ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Adaptive Immune Response ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
H7n9 Virus ◽  
Lethal Challenge ◽  
Proinflammatory Mediators

ABSTRACTCompounds that target the cellular factors essential for influenza virus replication represent an innovative approach to antiviral therapy.Sp2CBMTD is a genetically engineered multivalent protein that masks sialic acid-containing cellular receptors on the respiratory epithelium, which are recognized by influenza viruses. Here, we evaluated the antiviral potential ofSp2CBMTD against lethal infection in mice with an emerging A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9) influenza virus and addressed the mechanistic basis of its activityin vivo. Sp2CBMTD was administered to mice intranasally as a single or repeated dose (0.1, 1, 10, or 100 μg) before (day −7, −3, and/or −1) or after (6 or 24 h) H7N9 virus inoculation. A singleSp2CBMTD dose (10 or 100 μg) protected 80% to 100% of the mice when administered 7 days before the H7N9 lethal challenge. RepeatedSp2CBMTD administration conferred the highest protection, resulting in 100% survival of the mice even at the lowest dose tested (0.1 μg). When treatment began 24 h after exposure to the H7N9 virus, a single administration of 100 μg ofSp2CBMTD protected 40% of the mice from death. The administration ofSp2CBMTD induced the pulmonary expression of proinflammatory mediators (interleukin-6 [IL-6], IL-1β, RANTES, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 [MCP-1], macrophage inflammatory protein-1α [MIP-1α], and inducible protein [IP-10]) and recruited neutrophils to the respiratory tract before H7N9 virus infection, which resulted in less pronounced inflammation and rapid virus clearance from mouse lungs.Sp2CBMTD administration did not affect the virus-specific adaptive immune response, which was sufficient to protect against reinfection with a higher dose of homologous H7N9 virus or heterologous H5N1 virus. Thus,Sp2CBMTD was effective in preventing H7N9 infections in a lethal mouse model and holds promise as a prophylaxis option against zoonotic influenza viruses.

scholarly journals Increased Protein Degradation Improves Influenza Virus Nucleoprotein-Specific CD8+T Cell ActivationIn Vitrobut Not in C57BL/6 Mice

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (22) ◽  
pp. 10209-10219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arwen F. Altenburg ◽  
Carolien E. van de Sandt ◽  
Stella E. van Trierum ◽  
Heidi L. M. De Gruyter ◽  
Peter R. W. A. van Run ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Influenza Virus ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Antigenic Drift ◽  
Influenza Vaccines ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara

ABSTRACTDue to antigenic drift of influenza viruses, seasonal influenza vaccines need to be updated annually. These vaccines are based on predictions of strains likely to circulate in the next season. However, vaccine efficacy is greatly reduced in the case of a mismatch between circulating and vaccine strains. Furthermore, novel antigenically distinct influenza viruses are introduced into the human population from animal reservoirs occasionally and may cause pandemic outbreaks. To dampen the impact of seasonal and pandemic influenza, vaccines that induce broadly protective and long-lasting immunity are preferred. Because influenza virus-specific CD8+T cells are directed mainly against relatively conserved internal proteins, like nucleoprotein (NP), they are highly cross-reactive and afford protection against infection with antigenically distinct influenza virus strains, so-called heterosubtypic immunity. Here, we used modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) as a vaccine vector for the induction of influenza virus NP-specific CD8+T cells. To optimize the induction of CD8+T cell responses, we made several modifications to NP, aiming at retaining the protein in the cytosol or targeting it to the proteasome. We hypothesized that these strategies would increase antigen processing and presentation and thus improve the induction of CD8+T cell responses. We showed that NP with increased degradation rates improved CD8+T cell activationin vitroif the amount of antigen was limited or if CD8+T cells were of low functional avidity. However, after immunization of C57BL/6 mice, no differences were detected between modified NP and wild-type NP (NPwt), since NPwt already induced optimal CD8+T cell responses.IMPORTANCEDue to the continuous antigenic drift of seasonal influenza viruses and the threat of a novel pandemic, there is a great need for the development of novel influenza vaccines that offer broadly protective immunity against multiple subtypes. CD8+T cells can provide immunity against multiple subtypes of influenza viruses by the recognition of relatively conserved internal antigens. In this study, we aimed at optimizing the CD8+T cell response to influenza A virus by making modifications to influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) expressed from the modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vaccine vector. These modifications resulted in increased antigen degradation, thereby producing elevated levels of peptides that can be presented on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules to CD8+T cells. Although we were unable to increase the NP-specific immune response in the mouse strain used, this approach may have benefits for vaccine development using less-immunogenic proteins.

scholarly journals Antivirals Targeting the Surface Glycoproteins of Influenza Virus: Mechanisms of Action and Resistance

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Yaqin Bai ◽  
Jeremy C. Jones ◽  
Sook-San Wong ◽  
Mark Zanin
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Antiviral Drugs ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
High Threshold ◽  
Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin ◽  
Hemagglutinin Protein ◽  
Viral Lifecycle ◽  
Emergence Of Resistance

Hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, which constitute the glycoprotein spikes expressed on the surface of influenza A and B viruses, are the most exposed parts of the virus and play critical roles in the viral lifecycle. As such, they make prominent targets for the immune response and antiviral drugs. Neuraminidase inhibitors, particularly oseltamivir, constitute the most commonly used antivirals against influenza viruses, and they have proved their clinical utility against seasonal and emerging influenza viruses. However, the emergence of resistant strains remains a constant threat and consideration. Antivirals targeting the hemagglutinin protein are relatively new and have yet to gain global use but are proving to be effective additions to the antiviral repertoire, with a relatively high threshold for the emergence of resistance. Here we review antiviral drugs, both approved for clinical use and under investigation, that target the influenza virus hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins, focusing on their mechanisms of action and the emergence of resistance to them.

scholarly journals Cytotoxic T Cells Are the Predominant Players Providing Cross-Protective Immunity Induced by γ-Irradiated Influenza A Viruses

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (9) ◽  
pp. 4212-4221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoichi Furuya ◽  
Jennifer Chan ◽  
Matthias Regner ◽  
Mario Lobigs ◽  
Aulikki Koskinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Protective Immunity ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Cytotoxic T Cell ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Cytotoxic T Cell Responses

ABSTRACT We previously demonstrated that a single dose of nonadjuvanted intranasal γ-irradiated influenza A virus can provide robust protection in mice against both homologous and heterosubtypic challenges, including challenge with an H5N1 avian virus strain. We investigated the mechanism behind the observed cross-protection to define which arms of the adaptive immune response are involved in mediating this protection. Studies with gene knockout mice showed the cross-protective immunity to be mediated mainly by T cells and to be dependent on the cytolytic effector molecule perforin. Adoptive transfer of memory T cells from immunized mice, but not of memory B cells, protected naïve recipients against lethal heterosubtypic influenza virus challenge. Furthermore, γ-irradiated influenza viruses induced cross-reactive Tc-cell responses but not cross-neutralizing or cross-protective antibodies. In addition, histological analysis showed reduced lung inflammation in vaccinated mice compared to that in unvaccinated controls following heterosubtypic challenge. This reduced inflammation was associated with enhanced early recruitment of T cells, both CD4+ and CD8+, and with early influenza virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses. Therefore, cross-protective immunity induced by vaccination with γ-irradiated influenza A virus is mediated mainly by Tc-cell responses.

scholarly journals Influenza Virus Protecting RNA: an Effective Prophylactic and Therapeutic Antiviral

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (17) ◽  
pp. 8570-8578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel J. Dimmock ◽  
Edward W. Rainsford ◽  
Paul D. Scott ◽  
Anthony C. Marriott
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Therapeutic Benefit ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Lethal Challenge ◽  
Human Influenza Virus ◽  
Challenge Virus ◽  
Virus Rna

ABSTRACT Another influenza pandemic is inevitable, and new measures to combat this and seasonal influenza are urgently needed. Here we describe a new concept in antivirals based on a defined, naturally occurring defective influenza virus RNA that has the potential to protect against any influenza A virus in any animal host. This “protecting RNA” (244 RNA) is incorporated into virions which, although noninfectious, deliver the RNA to those cells of the respiratory tract that are naturally targeted by infectious influenza virus. A 120-ng intranasal dose of this 244 protecting virus completely protected mice against a simultaneous challenge of 10 50% lethal doses with influenza A/WSN (H1N1) virus. The 244 virus also protected mice against strong challenge doses of all other subtypes tested (i.e., H2N2, H3N2, and H3N8). This prophylactic activity was maintained in the animal for at least 1 week prior to challenge. The 244 virus was 10- to 100-fold more active than previously characterized defective influenza A viruses, and the protecting activity was confirmed to reside in the 244 RNA molecule by recovering a protecting virus entirely from cloned cDNA. There was a clear therapeutic benefit when the 244 virus was administered 24 to 48 h after a lethal challenge, an effect which has not been previously observed with any defective virus. Protecting virus reduced, but did not abolish, replication of challenge virus in mouse lungs during both prophylactic and therapeutic treatments. Protecting virus is a novel antiviral, having the potential to combat human influenza virus infections, particularly when the infecting strain is not known or is resistant to antiviral drugs.

scholarly journals Neutrophils and Influenza: A Thin Line between Helpful and Harmful

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 597
Author(s):  
Sneha T. George ◽  
Jonathan Lai ◽  
Julia Ma ◽  
Hannah D. Stacey ◽  
Matthew S. Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Effector Functions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Influenza Viral Infection

Influenza viruses are one of the most prevalent respiratory pathogens known to humans and pose a significant threat to global public health each year. Annual influenza epidemics are responsible for 3–5 million infections worldwide and approximately 500,000 deaths. Presently, yearly vaccinations represent the most effective means of combating these viruses. In humans, influenza viruses infect respiratory epithelial cells and typically cause localized infections of mild to moderate severity. Neutrophils are the first innate cells to be recruited to the site of the infection and possess a wide range of effector functions to eliminate viruses. Some well-described effector functions include phagocytosis, degranulation, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). However, while these mechanisms can promote infection resolution, they can also contribute to the pathology of severe disease. Thus, the role of neutrophils in influenza viral infection is nuanced, and the threshold at which protective functions give way to immunopathology is not well understood. Moreover, notable differences between human and murine neutrophils underscore the need to exercise caution when applying murine findings to human physiology. This review aims to provide an overview of neutrophil characteristics, their classic effector functions, as well as more recently described antibody-mediated effector functions. Finally, we discuss the controversial role these cells play in the context of influenza virus infections and how our knowledge of this cell type can be leveraged in the design of universal influenza virus vaccines.

scholarly journals Next generation methodology for updating HA vaccines against emerging human seasonal influenza A(H3N2) viruses

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. Allen ◽  
Ted M. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Seasonal Influenza ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Influenza Hemagglutinin ◽  
H3n2 Influenza

AbstractWhile vaccines remain the best tool for preventing influenza virus infections, they have demonstrated low to moderate effectiveness in recent years. Seasonal influenza vaccines typically consist of wild-type influenza A and B viruses that are limited in their ability to elicit protective immune responses against co-circulating influenza virus variant strains. Improved influenza virus vaccines need to elicit protective immune responses against multiple influenza virus drift variants within each season. Broadly reactive vaccine candidates potentially provide a solution to this problem, but their efficacy may begin to wane as influenza viruses naturally mutate through processes that mediates drift. Thus, it is necessary to develop a method that commercial vaccine manufacturers can use to update broadly reactive vaccine antigens to better protect against future and currently circulating viral variants. Building upon the COBRA technology, nine next-generation H3N2 influenza hemagglutinin (HA) vaccines were designed using a next generation algorithm and design methodology. These next-generation broadly reactive COBRA H3 HA vaccines were superior to wild-type HA vaccines at eliciting antibodies with high HAI activity against a panel of historical and co-circulating H3N2 influenza viruses isolated over the last 15 years, as well as the ability to neutralize future emerging H3N2 isolates.

scholarly journals Thapsigargin Is a Broad-Spectrum Inhibitor of Major Human Respiratory Viruses: Coronavirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza A Virus

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Sarah Al-Beltagi ◽  
Cristian Alexandru Preda ◽  
Leah V. Goulding ◽  
Joe James ◽  
Juan Pu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Virus Challenge ◽  
2009 H1n1 ◽  
Syncytial Virus

The long-term control strategy of SARS-CoV-2 and other major respiratory viruses needs to include antivirals to treat acute infections, in addition to the judicious use of effective vaccines. Whilst COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out for mass vaccination, the modest number of antivirals in use or development for any disease bears testament to the challenges of antiviral development. We recently showed that non-cytotoxic levels of thapsigargin (TG), an inhibitor of the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ ATPase pump, induces a potent host innate immune antiviral response that blocks influenza A virus replication. Here we show that TG is also highly effective in blocking the replication of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), common cold coronavirus OC43, SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus in immortalized or primary human cells. TG’s antiviral performance was significantly better than remdesivir and ribavirin in their respective inhibition of OC43 and RSV. Notably, TG was just as inhibitory to coronaviruses (OC43 and SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses (USSR H1N1 and pdm 2009 H1N1) in separate infections as in co-infections. Post-infection oral gavage of acid-stable TG protected mice against a lethal influenza virus challenge. Together with its ability to inhibit the different viruses before or during active infection, and with an antiviral duration of at least 48 h post-TG exposure, we propose that TG (or its derivatives) is a promising broad-spectrum inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2, OC43, RSV and influenza virus.

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