Protection against influenza A virus by vaccination with a recombinant fusion protein linking influenza M2e to human serum albumin (HSA).

Abstract

The highly conserved extracellular domain of M2 protein (M2e) of influenza A viruses has limited immunogenicity on its own. Hence, aiming to enhance immunogenicity of M2e protein, optimal approaches remain to be established. In this study, we created recombinant fusion protein vaccines by linking M2e consensus sequence of influenza A viruses with C-terminal domain of human serum albumin (HSA). Then HSA/M2e recombinant fusion protein was studied. Our results showed that HSA/M2e could induce strong anti-M2e specific humoral immune responses in the established mice model. Administration of HSA/M2e with Freund's adjuvant resulted in a higher number of IFN-γ-producing cells compared to HSA/M2e or M2e peptide emulsified in Freund's adjuvant. Furthermore, HSA/M2e was able to reduce viral load in the mice lungs and provide significant protection against lethal challenge with an H1N1 or an H3N2 virus compared to controls. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated a potential vaccine that could provide protection in preventing the threat of influenza outbreak because of rapid variation of the influenza virus.

• Authors: Xupeng Mu, Kebang Hu, Mohan Shen, Ning Kong, Changhao Fu, Weiqun Yan, Anhui Wei
• Journal: Journal of virological methods (J Virol Methods) Vol. 228 Pg. 84-90 (Feb 2016) ISSN: 1879-0984 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 26615805 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Influenza Vaccines
• M2 protein, Influenza A virus
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins
• Serum Albumin
• Vaccines, Synthetic
• Viral Matrix Proteins
• Interferon-gamma
• Freund's Adjuvant

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Cross Protection
• Disease Outbreaks (prevention & control)
• Female
• Freund's Adjuvant (immunology)
• Humans
• Immunity, Humoral
• Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype (chemistry, genetics, immunology)
• Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype (chemistry, genetics, immunology)
• Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype (immunology)
• Influenza Vaccines (administration & dosage, chemistry, immunology)
• Influenza, Human (prevention & control)
• Interferon-gamma (metabolism)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Orthomyxoviridae Infections (immunology, prevention & control, virology)
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins (administration & dosage, immunology)
• Serum Albumin
• Vaccination
• Vaccines, Synthetic
• Viral Load
• Viral Matrix Proteins (genetics, immunology)