scholarly journals Comparative Study of the Temperature Sensitive, Cold Adapted and Attenuated Mutations Present in the Master Donor Viruses of the Two Commercial Human Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccines

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Rodriguez ◽  
Pilar Blanco-Lobo ◽  
Emma C. Reilly ◽  
Tatsuya Maehigashi ◽  
Aitor Nogales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
The United States ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Influenza Vaccines ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Cold Adapted ◽  
Ann Arbor

Influenza viruses cause annual, seasonal infection across the globe. Vaccination represents the most effective strategy to prevent such infections and/or to reduce viral disease. Two major types of influenza vaccines are approved for human use: inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) and live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs). Two Master Donor Virus (MDV) backbones have been used to create LAIVs against influenza A virus (IAV): the United States (US) A/Ann Arbor/6/60 (AA) and the Russian A/Leningrad/134/17/57 (Len) H2N2 viruses. The mutations responsible for the temperature sensitive (ts), cold-adapted (ca) and attenuated (att) phenotypes of the two MDVs have been previously identified and genetically mapped. However, a direct comparison of the contribution of these residues to viral attenuation, immunogenicity and protection efficacy has not been conducted. Here, we compared the In vitro and in vivo phenotype of recombinant influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 H1N1 (PR8) viruses containing the ts, ca and att mutations of the US (PR8/AA) and the Russian (PR8/Len) MDVs. Our results show that PR8/Len is more attenuated in vivo than PR8/AA, although both viruses induced similar levels of humoral and cellular responses, and protection against homologous and heterologous viral challenges. Our findings support the feasibility of using a different virus backbone as MDV for the development of improved LAIVs for the prevention of IAV infections.

scholarly journals Pathogenesis and Transmission of Genetically Diverse Swine-Origin H3N2 Variant Influenza A Viruses from Multiple Lineages Isolated in the United States, 2011–2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangjie Sun ◽  
Joanna A. Pulit-Penaloza ◽  
Jessica A. Belser ◽  
Claudia Pappas ◽  
Melissa B. Pearce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Seasonal Influenza ◽  
The United States ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Pandemic Preparedness

ABSTRACTWhile several swine-origin influenza A H3N2 variant (H3N2v) viruses isolated from humans prior to 2011 have been previously characterized for their virulence and transmissibility in ferrets, the recent genetic and antigenic divergence of H3N2v viruses warrants an updated assessment of their pandemic potential. Here, four contemporary H3N2v viruses isolated during 2011 to 2016 were evaluated for their replicative ability in bothin vitroandin vivoin mammalian models as well as their transmissibility among ferrets. We found that all four H3N2v viruses possessed similar or enhanced replication capacities in a human bronchial epithelium cell line (Calu-3) compared to a human seasonal influenza virus, suggestive of strong fitness in human respiratory tract cells. The majority of H3N2v viruses examined in our study were mildly virulent in mice and capable of replicating in mouse lungs with different degrees of efficiency. In ferrets, all four H3N2v viruses caused moderate morbidity and exhibited comparable titers in the upper respiratory tract, but only 2 of the 4 viruses replicated in the lower respiratory tract in this model. Furthermore, despite efficient transmission among cohoused ferrets, recently isolated H3N2v viruses displayed considerable variance in their ability to transmit by respiratory droplets. The lack of a full understanding of the molecular correlates of virulence and transmission underscores the need for close genotypic and phenotypic monitoring of H3N2v viruses and the importance of continued surveillance to improve pandemic preparedness.IMPORTANCESwine-origin influenza viruses of the H3N2 subtype, with the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) derived from historic human seasonal influenza viruses, continue to cross species barriers and cause human infections, posing an indelible threat to public health. To help us better understand the potential risk associated with swine-origin H3N2v viruses that emerged in the United States during the 2011-2016 influenza seasons, we use bothin vitroandin vivomodels to characterize the abilities of these viruses to replicate, cause disease, and transmit in mammalian hosts. The efficient respiratory droplet transmission exhibited by some of the H3N2v viruses in the ferret model combined with the existing evidence of low immunity against such viruses in young children and older adults highlight their pandemic potential. Extensive surveillance and risk assessment of H3N2v viruses should continue to be an essential component of our pandemic preparedness strategy.

scholarly journals A Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine Elicits Enhanced Heterologous Protection When the Internal Genes of the Vaccine Are Matched to Those of the Challenge Virus

2019 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Smith ◽  
Laura Rodriguez ◽  
Maya El Ghouayel ◽  
Aitor Nogales ◽  
Jeffrey M. Chamberlain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Vaccine ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
H1n1 Virus ◽  
Influenza Infection ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Influenza Vaccines ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine ◽  
Cell Immunity

ABSTRACT Influenza A virus (IAV) causes significant morbidity and mortality, despite the availability of viral vaccines. The efficacy of live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) has been especially poor in recent years. One potential reason is that the master donor virus (MDV), on which all LAIVs are based, contains either the internal genes of the 1960 A/Ann Arbor/6/60 or the 1957 A/Leningrad/17/57 H2N2 viruses (i.e., they diverge considerably from currently circulating strains). We previously showed that introduction of the temperature-sensitive (ts) residue signature of the AA/60 MDV into a 2009 pandemic A/California/04/09 H1N1 virus (Cal/09) results in only 10-fold in vivo attenuation in mice. We have previously shown that the ts residue signature of the Russian A/Leningrad/17/57 H2N2 LAIV (Len LAIV) more robustly attenuates the prototypical A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (PR8) H1N1 virus. In this work, we therefore introduced the ts signature from Len LAIV into Cal/09. This new Cal/09 LAIV is ts in vitro, highly attenuated (att) in mice, and protects from a lethal homologous challenge. In addition, when our Cal/09 LAIV with PR8 hemagglutinin and neuraminidase was used to vaccinate mice, it provided enhanced protection against a wild-type Cal/09 challenge relative to a PR8 LAIV with the same attenuating mutations. These findings suggest it may be possible to improve the efficacy of LAIVs by better matching the sequence of the MDV to currently circulating strains. IMPORTANCE Seasonal influenza infection remains a major cause of disease and death, underscoring the need for improved vaccines. Among current influenza vaccines, the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is unique in its ability to elicit T-cell immunity to the conserved internal proteins of the virus. Despite this, LAIV has shown limited efficacy in recent years. One possible reason is that the conserved, internal genes of all current LAIVs derive from virus strains that were isolated between 1957 and 1960 and that, as a result, do not resemble currently circulating influenza viruses. We have therefore developed and tested a new LAIV, based on a currently circulating pandemic strain of influenza. Our results show that this new LAIV elicits improved protective immunity compared to a more conventional LAIV.

scholarly journals Attenuation and immunogenicity in mice of temperature-sensitive influenza viruses expressing truncated NS1 proteins

2005 ◽  
Vol 86 (10) ◽  
pp. 2817-2821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M. Falcón ◽  
Ana Fernandez-Sesma ◽  
Yurie Nakaya ◽  
Thomas M. Moran ◽  
Juan Ortín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Wild Type Virus ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Ns1 Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
Lethal Challenge

It was previously shown that two mutant influenza A viruses expressing C-terminally truncated forms of the NS1 protein (NS1-81 and NS1-110) were temperature sensitive in vitro. These viruses contain HA, NA and M genes derived from influenza A/WSN/33 H1N1 virus (mouse-adapted), and the remaining five genes from human influenza A/Victoria/3/75 virus. Mice intranasally infected with the NS1 mutant viruses showed undetectable levels of virus in lungs at day 3, whereas those infected with the NS1 wild-type control virus still had detectable levels of virus at this time. Nevertheless, the temperature-sensitive mutant viruses induced specific cellular and humoral immune responses similar to those induced by the wild-type virus. Mice immunized with the NS1 mutant viruses were protected against a lethal challenge with influenza A/WSN/33 virus. These results indicate that truncations in the NS1 protein resulting in temperature-sensitive phenotypes in vitro correlate with attenuation in vivo without compromising viral immunogenicity, an ideal characteristic for live attenuated viral vaccines.

scholarly journals Development of an Alternative Modified Live Influenza B Virus Vaccine

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jefferson J. S. Santos ◽  
Courtney Finch ◽  
Troy Sutton ◽  
Adebimpe Obadan ◽  
Isabel Aguirre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
The United States ◽  
Influenza B Virus ◽  
Influenza B ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Complete Protection ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
B Virus

ABSTRACT Influenza B virus (IBV) is considered a major human pathogen, responsible for seasonal epidemics of acute respiratory illness. Two antigenically distinct IBV hemagglutinin (HA) lineages cocirculate worldwide with little cross-reactivity. Live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) vaccines have been shown to provide better cross-protective immune responses than inactivated vaccines by eliciting local mucosal immunity and systemic B cell- and T cell-mediated memory responses. We have shown previously that incorporation of temperature-sensitive (ts) mutations into the PB1 and PB2 subunits along with a modified HA epitope tag in the C terminus of PB1 resulted in influenza A viruses (IAV) that are safe and effective as modified live attenuated (att) virus vaccines (IAV att). We explored whether analogous mutations in the IBV polymerase subunits would result in a stable virus with an att phenotype. The PB1 subunit of the influenza B/Brisbane/60/2008 strain was used to incorporate ts mutations and a C-terminal HA tag. Such modifications resulted in a B/Bris att strain with ts characteristics in vitro and an att phenotype in vivo. Vaccination studies in mice showed that a single dose of the B/Bris att candidate stimulated sterilizing immunity against lethal homologous challenge and complete protection against heterologous challenge. These studies show the potential of an alternative LAIV platform for the development of IBV vaccines. IMPORTANCE A number of issues with regard to the effectiveness of the LAIV vaccine licensed in the United States (FluMist) have arisen over the past three seasons (2013–2014, 2014–2015, and 2015–2016). While the reasons for the limited robustness of the vaccine-elicited immune response remain controversial, this problem highlights the critical importance of continued investment in LAIV development and creates an opportunity to improve current strategies so as to develop more efficacious vaccines. Our laboratory has developed an alternative strategy, the incorporation of 2 amino acid mutations and a modified HA tag at the C terminus of PB1, which is sufficient to attenuate the IBV. As a LAIV, this novel vaccine provides complete protection against IBV strains. The availability of attenuated IAV and IBV backbones based on contemporary strains offers alternative platforms for the development of LAIVs that may overcome current limitations.

scholarly journals Early protection against influenza by pandemic live attenuated influenza vaccines

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Andrey R. Rekstin ◽  
Julia A. Desheva ◽  
Irina V. Kiseleva ◽  
Irina N. Isakova-Sivak
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Influenza Vaccine ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Relative Sensitivity ◽  
Cytokine Response ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Cold Adapted

Live attenuated cold-adapted (ca) influenza vaccine (LAIV) is an effective tool for the control of influenza, most likely due to their ability to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses, easy application and relatively low manufacturing costs. Attenuated cold-adapted vaccine strains that have achieved a satisfactory balance between restricted replication and high immunogenicity are desirable. The immunogenicity of live attenuated vaccines may depend upon the interplay between its ability to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine responses and the relative sensitivity of the attenuated vaccine strain to an antiviral effect of these cytokines. To better understand the relationship between attenuation and induction of innate immunity as well as contribution of the early cytokine response to the relative immunogenicity of LAIVs, we have studied early protection induced by LAIV in vivo as well as early cytokine response in human cells macrophage origin in response to infection with vaccine strains or epidemic virus. The aim of this study was to investigate the early immune response and protective activity in female CBA mice intranasally immunized with cold-adapted influenza vaccine strains of different genome compositions of 5:3 or 6:2. For experimental infection pandemic influenza viruses A/South Africa/3626/13 (H1N1)pdm09 and A/New York/61/15 (H1N1)pdm09 were used to be administered to animals at a dose of 106 EID50 at day 3 after immunization (challenge infection). Although challenge viruses replicate at mice lungs at various, extend, on day 10 after immunization mice were protected from death from 60 up to 80%. Reassortants LAIV did not differ statistically on these levels. Study of the expression of IFN- and IFN- genes in human lung macrophage line cells THP-1 in vitro have shown that macrophages stimulated with vaccine strains with the genome formula 6:2 and 5:3, had a sufficient level of expression of these genes, comparable to that, as in infection with wild virus type A/South Africa/3626/13 (H1N1)pdm09. These data may indicate that surface proteins of influenza A virus are involved in the process of stimulation of the IFN- and IFN- genes.

scholarly journals 97. Competition Experiments for the Baloxavir-Resistant I38T Influenza A Mutant

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S9-S9
Author(s):  
Liva Checkmahomed ◽  
Zeineb Mhamdi ◽  
Julie Carbonneau ◽  
Mariana Baz ◽  
Yacine Abed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Mdck Cells ◽  
Digital Pcr ◽  
The United States ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Viral Fitness ◽  
Copy Numbers

Abstract Background Baloxavir marboxil (BXM), a cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor, has been recently approved in the United States for the treatment of influenza infections. It is superior to oseltamivir for reducing the time of viral shedding but is reported to have a low barrier of resistance. We sought to evaluate the viral fitness of the predominant BXM-resistant I38T PA mutant in the A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 viral backgrounds. Methods Recombinant A/Quebec/144147/2009 (H1N1) and A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 (H3N2) influenza viruses and their respective I38T PA mutants were generated by reverse genetics. Standardized inoculums (500 PFUs) of wild-type (WT) and mutant mixtures were inoculated on α2,6 MDCK cells. On day 3 post-infection (pi), the supernatants were collected and the ratios of WT/mutant viruses were determined by droplet digital PCR using specific LNA probes. Single infections and competitive experiments were also performed in C56/BL6 mice with quantification of lung viral titers on days 3 and 6 pi. Results In vitro A/H1N1 studies showed similar total copy numbers for the WT and mutant viruses on day 3 pi (1.2 × 109 and 1.3 × 109 copies/mL, respectively). The initial 50%/50% mixture became 70%/30% (WT/mutant) after one passage in cells. For A/H3N2, the total copy numbers were 8.1 × 109 and 1.0 × 109 copies/mL for the WT and mutant viruses. The initial 50%/50% mixture became 94%/6% (WT/mutant) after one passage. The I38T mutants remained stable after 4 passages in α2,6 MDCK cells. In mice, the A/H1N1 WT and I38T mutant induced similar weight loss and generated comparable lung titers on days 3 and 6 pi. In contrast, the weight loss of the A/H3N2 mutant was greater than that of the WT between days 3 and 7 pi with comparable lung titers on days 3 and 6. Following infection with 50%/50% mixtures, the mutant virus predominated over the WT on day 3 pi (73% A/H1N1 and 58% A/H3N2). Conclusion The BXM-resistant I38T PA mutant replicates well both in vitro and in vivo in the A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 backgrounds. Surveillance for the emergence and transmission of such mutant in the community is required. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

scholarly journals A New Master Donor Virus for the Development of Live-Attenuated Influenza B Virus Vaccines

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1278
Author(s):  
Chantelle L. White ◽  
Kevin Chiem ◽  
Daniel R. Perez ◽  
Jefferson Santos ◽  
Stivalis Cardenas Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Elderly ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Influenza B Virus ◽  
Influenza B ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Variable Surface ◽  
Ann Arbor

Influenza B viruses (IBV) circulate annually, with young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals being at high risk. Yearly vaccinations are recommended to protect against seasonally influenza viruses, including IBV. Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) provide the unique opportunity for direct exposure to the antigenically variable surface glycoproteins as well as the more conserved internal components. Ideally, LAIV Master Donor Viruses (MDV) should accurately reflect seasonal influenza strains. Unfortunately, the continuous evolution of IBV have led to significant changes in conserved epitopes compared to the IBV MDV based on B/Ann Arbor/1/1966 strain. Here, we propose a recent influenza B/Brisbane/60/2008 as an efficacious MDV alternative, as its internal viral proteins more accurately reflect those of circulating IBV strains. We introduced the mutations responsible for the temperature sensitive (ts), cold adapted (ca) and attenuated (att) phenotype of B/Ann Arbor/1/1966 MDV LAIV into B/Brisbane/60/2008 to generate a new MDV LAIV. In vitro and in vivo analysis demonstrated that the mutations responsible of the ts, ca, and att phenotype of B/Ann Arbor/1/1966 MDV LAIV were able to infer the same phenotype to B/Brisbane/60/2008, demonstrating its potential as a new MDV for the development of LAIV to protect against contemporary IBV strains.

scholarly journals Reversion of Cold-Adapted Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine into a Pathogenic Virus

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (19) ◽  
pp. 8454-8463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Zhou ◽  
Victoria A. Meliopoulos ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Xudong Lin ◽  
Karla M. Stucker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Serial Passage ◽  
The United States ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
H1n1 Pandemic ◽  
Cold Adapted ◽  
Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine ◽  
Ann Arbor ◽  
2009 H1n1

ABSTRACTThe only licensed live attenuated influenza A virus vaccines (LAIVs) in the United States (FluMist) are created using internal protein-coding gene segments from the cold-adapted temperature-sensitive master donor virus A/Ann Arbor/6/1960 and HA/NA gene segments from circulating viruses. During serial passage of A/Ann Arbor/6/1960 at low temperatures to select the desired attenuating phenotypes, multiple cold-adaptive mutations and temperature-sensitive mutations arose. A substantial amount of scientific and clinical evidence has proven that FluMist is safe and effective. Nevertheless, no study has been conducted specifically to determine if the attenuating temperature-sensitive phenotype can revert and, if so, the types of substitutions that will emerge (i.e., compensatory substitutions versus reversion of existing attenuating mutations). Serial passage of the monovalent FluMist 2009 H1N1 pandemic vaccine at increasing temperaturesin vitrogenerated a variant that replicated efficiently at higher temperatures. Sequencing of the variant identified seven nonsynonymous mutations, PB1-E51K, PB1-I171V, PA-N350K, PA-L366I, NP-N125Y, NP-V186I, and NS2-G63E. None occurred at positions previously reported to affect the temperature sensitivity of influenza A viruses. Synthetic genomics technology was used to synthesize the whole genome of the virus, and the roles of individual mutations were characterized by assessing their effects on RNA polymerase activity and virus replication kinetics at various temperatures. The revertant also regained virulence and caused significant disease in mice, with severity comparable to that caused by a wild-type 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus.IMPORTANCEThe live attenuated influenza vaccine FluMist has been proven safe and effective and is widely used in the United States. The phenotype and genotype of the vaccine virus are believed to be very stable, and mutants that cause disease in animals or humans have never been reported. By propagating the virus under well-controlled laboratory conditions, we found that the FluMist vaccine backbone could regain virulence to cause severe disease in mice. The identification of the responsible substitutions and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms provide unique insights into the attenuation of influenza virus, which is important to basic research on vaccines, attenuation reversion, and replication. In addition, this study suggests that the safety of LAIVs should be closely monitored after mass vaccination and that novel strategies to continue to improve LAIV vaccine safety should be investigated.

scholarly journals In VitroSusceptibility of Canine Influenza A (H3N8) Virus to Nitazoxanide and Tizoxanide

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura V. Ashton ◽  
Robert L. Callan ◽  
Sangeeta Rao ◽  
Gabriele A. Landolt
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
The United States ◽  
Canine Influenza Virus ◽  
Valuable Adjunct ◽  
Canine Influenza ◽  
The Impact ◽  
H3n8 Virus

Infection of dogs with canine influenza virus (CIV) is considered widespread throughout the United States following the first isolation of CIV in 2004. While vaccination against influenza A infection is a common and important practice for disease control, antiviral therapy can serve as a valuable adjunct in controlling the impact of the disease. In this study, we examined the antiviral activity of nitazoxanide (NTZ) and tizoxanide (TIZ) against three CIV isolatesin vitro. NTZ and TIZ inhibited virus replication of all CIVs with 50% and 90% inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.17 to 0.21 μMand from 0.60 to 0.76 μM, respectively. These results suggest that NTZ and TIZ are effective against CIV and may be useful for treatment of canine influenza in dogs but further investigation of thein vivoefficacy against CIV as well as the drug's potential for toxicity in dogs is needed.

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