Article
Virology
Matthew J. Pekarek, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Adam Rubrum, Richard J. Webby, Eric A. Weaver
Summary: This study demonstrates that the growth system can influence lethality of mouse-adapted IBVs after serial lung passaging. Viruses grown in embryonated eggs were significantly more lethal in mice compared to those grown in cell culture. No mutations in the surface glycoprotein amino acid sequences correlated to differences in lethality.
Article
Immunology
Lizheng Guan, Jihui Ping, Tiago J. S. Lopes, Shufang Fan, Robert Presler, Gabriele Neumann, Yoshihiro Kawaoka
Summary: Researchers have introduced random mutations into the influenza A virus backbone to select variants with increased replicative ability. They have identified a strain that exhibits higher influenza virus growth and higher virus titers in embryonated chicken eggs, which is a crucial finding for vaccine manufacturers.
Article
Virology
Wojciech Rozek, Malgorzata Kwasnik, Wojciech Socha, Pawel Sztromwasser, Jerzy Rola
Summary: The study showed that there were variations in equine influenza virus during passages in embryonated chicken eggs, but it does not pose a significant risk to influenza vaccine efficacy.
Article
Immunology
Sadaf Aslam, Madhusudan Rajendran, Divya Kriti, Andrew Kurland, Jeffrey Johnson, Harm van Bakel, Florian Krammer, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Juan Ayllon
Summary: To improve the production yield of seasonal influenza vaccines, we have identified optimal vaccine seed virus backbones for influenza B virus through research and evaluation in embryonated eggs. This study includes 71 strains of influenza B virus from 1940 to the present, representing the known temporal and genetic variability. By assessing the growth profiles and effectiveness of these strains, we selected three strains with the best performance as vaccine seed virus backbones to increase the production yield of influenza B virus seasonal vaccines.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mengjie Xiao, Bobby Lim-Ho Kong, Yahui Zhang, Yinhua Yang, Jiaqi Lu, Hung-Kay Lee, Fei Cao, Pang-Chui Shaw
Summary: This study isolated six phytochemicals from Ganlanye and found that they have inhibitory effects against influenza A strains. The specific mechanisms of action of three new phenolic glycosides and three known flavonoids were revealed. This study provided more evidence on the anti-influenza effect of Ganlan and laid the foundation for further development of potent NA inhibitors.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Louisa E. Wallace, Erik de Vries, Frank J. M. van Kuppeveld, Cornelis A. M. de Haan
Summary: This study systematically analyzed the role of sialoglycan-cleaving neuraminidase (NA) in viral entry in relation to sialoglycan-binding hemagglutinin (HA) receptor-binding preference, the receptor repertoire displayed on cells, and the presence of mucus decoy receptors. It was found that the dependency on NA activity for influenza A virus (IAV) entry largely depends on HA, with a2-6 sialoglycan-binding viruses being more inhibited by NA inhibitor than a2-3 sialoglycan-preferring viruses. The results indicate that the receptor-binding properties of HA in combination with the receptor repertoire present on cells determine the dependency of IAV on NA activity for entry.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Virology
Yaqin Bai, Jeremy C. Jones, Sook-San Wong, Mark Zanin
Summary: Hemagglutinin and neuraminidase are critical parts of influenza viruses, serving as targets for immune response and antiviral drugs. Neuraminidase inhibitors like oseltamivir are commonly used against influenza, while antivirals targeting hemagglutinin are newer with a higher resistance threshold.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariangela Agamennone, Marialuigia Fantacuzzi, Giovanni Vivenzio, Maria Carmina Scala, Pietro Campiglia, Fabiana Superti, Marina Sala
Summary: Influenza viruses are a major cause of high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current approaches for fighting flu include seasonal vaccines and antiviral drugs, but they have limitations. Due to the highly mutative nature of influenza viruses, there is an urgent need for the development of new antiviral therapies, and peptide-based therapies show great promise.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sphamandla E. Mtambo, Samuel C. Ugbaja, Aganze G. Mushebenge, Bahijjahtu H. Abubakar, Mthobisi L. Ntuli, Hezekiel M. Kumalo
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism and dynamics of the E119V mutation on the peramivir-neuraminidase complex of the H7N9 virus. Molecular dynamic simulations and analysis reveal that the E119V substitution confers greater stability on the protein complex. This research provides valuable insights for future drug design and control of avian influenza.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Fatin Ahmad Rizal, Kok Lian Ho, Abdul Rahman Omar, Wen Siang Tan, Abdul Razak Mariatulqabtiah, Munir Iqbal
Summary: This study compared the molecular markers of a locally isolated LPAI AIV strain H5N2 from Malaysia with reference HPAI strains, revealing distinct characteristics of the Malaysian strain and its potential role in the epidemiological research on circulating AIV in poultry.
Article
Immunology
Chenxin Han, Ziwei Xie, Yadi Lv, Dingxiang Liu, Ruiai Chen
Summary: This study reveals the important role of GRP78 in the adsorption stage of the NDV infection cycle and identifies the critical domain required for GRP78-HN interaction, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in NDV replication and infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chika Kikuchi, Aristotelis Antonopoulos, Shengyang Wang, Tadashi Maemura, Rositsa Karamanska, Chiara Lee, Andrew J. Thompson, Anne Dell, Yoshihiro Kawaoka, Stuart M. Haslam, James C. Paulson
Summary: The evolution of human H3N2 influenza viruses has led to a limited specificity of the hemagglutinin to a subset of glycan receptors, presenting challenges for virus recognition and vaccine production. By studying glyco-engineered cell lines, the authors demonstrate the importance of extended glycan receptors for the growth of recent H3N2 viruses and their relevance to vaccine production.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Irina Alymova, John F. Cipollo, Lisa M. Parsons, Nedzad Music, Ram P. Kamal, Wen-Pin Tzeng, Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Joseph N. Contessa, Kevan L. Hartshorn, Jason R. Wilson, Hui Zeng, Shane Gansebom, Ian A. York
Summary: Individuals with metabolic dysregulation of cellular glycosylation often experience severe influenza disease, with reduced immune response and vaccine efficacy. Our study reveals that imbalanced glycosylation can modify the viral glycome without genomic changes, leading to reduced host immune responses and vaccine efficacy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carolyn M. Boudreau, John S. Burke, Ashraf S. Yousif, Maya Sangesland, Sandra Jastrzebski, Chris Verschoor, George Kuchel, Daniel Lingwood, Harry Kleanthous, Iris De Bruijn, Victoria Landolfi, Saranya Sridhar, Galit Alter
Summary: Antibodies not only play a critical role in neutralizing the virus, but also leverage the antiviral power of the innate immune system to protect against and clear influenza infection. Analysis of the humoral immune response in older adults vaccinated against influenza revealed that NK cell activation is associated with protection. Selective induction of antibodies that activate NK cells against influenza may be needed for effective protection in older adults.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Agnes T. Laleye, Modupeore Adeyemi, Celia Abolnik
Summary: This study describes an optimized method for the isolation and propagation of H5 and H7 subtype IAVs in 28-day old ostrich eggs. By pre-incubating the eggs and using them for ostrich-adapted virus isolation and in ovo studies, a better understanding of the virus-host interaction in ostriches and the emergence of potentially zoonotic diseases can be achieved.
ONDERSTEPOORT JOURNAL OF VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)