Multivalent Epigraph Hemagglutinin Vaccine Protects against Influenza B Virus in Mice
-
Published:2024-01-23
Issue:2
Volume:13
Page:97
-
ISSN:2076-0817
-
Container-title:Pathogens
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Pathogens
Author:
Petro-Turnquist Erika1ORCID, Corder Kampfe Brigette12, Gadeken Amber3, Pekarek Matthew J.1ORCID, Weaver Eric A.1ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA 2. Science Department, North Arkansas College, Harrison, AR 72601, USA 3. College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
Abstract
Influenza B virus is a respiratory pathogen that contributes to seasonal epidemics, accounts for approximately 25% of global influenza infections, and can induce severe disease in young children. While vaccination is the most commonly used method of preventing influenza infections, current vaccines only induce strain-specific responses and have suboptimal efficacy when mismatched from circulating strains. Further, two influenza B virus lineages have been described, B/Yamagata-like and B/Victoria-like, and the limited cross-reactivity between the two lineages provides an additional barrier in developing a universal influenza B virus vaccine. Here, we report a novel multivalent vaccine using computationally designed Epigraph hemagglutinin proteins targeting both the B/Yamagata-like and B/Victoria-like lineages. When compared to the quadrivalent commercial vaccine, the Epigraph vaccine demonstrated increased breadth of neutralizing antibody and T cell responses. After lethal heterologous influenza B virus challenge, mice immunized with the Epigraph vaccine were completely protected against both weight loss and mortality. The superior cross-reactive immunity conferred by the Epigraph vaccine immunogens supports their continued investigation as a universal influenza B virus vaccine.
Funder
National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award the NIH, National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Microbiology (medical),General Immunology and Microbiology,Molecular Biology,Immunology and Allergy
Reference54 articles.
1. Howley, P.M., Knipe, D.M., and Whelan, S. (2021). Fields Virology, Wolters Kluwer. [7th ed.]. Orthomyxoviridae. 2. Caini, S., Kusznierz, G., Garate, V.V., Wangchuk, S., Thapa, B., de Paula Junior, F.J., Ferreira de Almeida, W.A., Njouom, R., Fasce, R.A., and Bustos, P. (2019). The epidemiological signature of influenza B virus and its B/Victoria and B/Yamagata lineages in the 21st century. PLoS ONE, 14. 3. Influenza season in Reunion dominated by influenza B virus circulation associated with numerous cases of severe disease, France, 2014;Brottet;Eurosurveillance,2014 4. Surveillance of influenza in Indonesia, 2003–2007;Kosasih;Influenza Other Respir. Viruses,2012 5. Update: Influenza Activity in the United States During the 2017–18 Season and Composition of the 2018–19 Influenza Vaccine;Garten;MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep.,2018
|
|