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
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
Immunology
Ruipeng Lei, Wooseob Kim, Huibin Lv, Zongjun Mou, Michael J. Scherm, Aaron J. Schmitz, Jackson S. Turner, Timothy J. C. Tan, Yiquan Wang, Wenhao O. Ouyang, Weiwen Liang, Joel Rivera-Cardona, Chuyun Teo, Claire S. Graham, Christopher B. Brooke, Rachel M. Presti, Chris K. P. Mok, Florian Krammer, Xinghong Dai, Ali H. Ellebedy, Nicholas C. Wu
Summary: There is growing recognition of neuraminidase (NA) as a target for influenza vaccines, but its antigenicity is still poorly understood. In this study, we isolated three broadly reactive N2 antibodies from a single vaccine recipient, one of which cross-reacts with NAs from seasonal H3N2 strains spanning five decades. These antibodies confer prophylactic and therapeutic protection in vivo through both Fc effector functions and NA inhibition. Furthermore, the contribution of Fc effector functions to in vivo protection inversely correlates with viral growth inhibition activity in vitro.
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.
Article
Cell Biology
Ruipeng Lei, Andrea Hernandez Garcia, Timothy J. C. Tan, Qi Wen Teo, Yiquan Wang, Xiwen Zhang, Shitong Luo, Satish K. Nair, Jian Peng, Nicholas C. Wu
Summary: Influenza neuraminidase (NA) has different levels of tolerance to mutations, with antigenic regions showing high mutational tolerance and solvent-exposed regions showing low mutational tolerance. Protein stability is an important factor affecting the fitness of NA mutations. The study's findings on NA's evolutionary potential and biophysical constraints provide insights for NA-based vaccine design.
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
Infectious Diseases
Yanna Guo, Pingyun Ding, Yinjing Li, Yaping Zhang, Yiqing Zheng, Mengqi Yu, Yasuo Suzuki, Haitao Zhang, Jihui Ping
Summary: This study systematically investigated three strains of H10N3 avian influenza virus isolated from live poultry markets and found that these viruses were highly pathogenic to mice, replicated efficiently in mouse nasal turbinate and lungs as well as in A549 cells and chicken embryos, and possessed key molecular markers associated with mammalian adaptation.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
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.
Review
Microbiology
Alvin X. Han, Simon P. J. de Jong, Colin A. Russell
Summary: This review summarizes the interplay between immunity evolution from previous infections or vaccination and the evolution of seasonal influenza viruses, including functional constraints, within-host evolutionary processes, and options for influenza virus control. It is found that seasonal influenza viruses continually evolve to escape host immunity, driven by viral constraints and host immune responses. However, it remains unclear how these advances can effectively reduce the impact of seasonal influenza on human health.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Anjali Sengar, Marcos Cervantes, Peter M. Kasson
Summary: In this study, a microfluidic assay was developed to differentiate the effects of neutralizing antibodies on attachment and fusion during viral entry. Surprisingly, it was found that some broadly neutralizing antibodies inhibit fusion only, while others inhibit both fusion and viral attachment. This study provides insights into the heterogeneous mechanisms of antibody neutralization within similar recognition sites. Additionally, the developed assay offers a tool for optimizing vaccine design by assessing the antibody response with greater mechanistic resolution.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lorenzo Casalino, Christian Seitz, Julia Lederhofer, Yaroslav Tsybovsky, Ian A. Wilson, Masaru Kanekiyo, Rommie E. Amaro
Summary: The dynamic movements of glycoproteins in influenza virus provide insights into antigenically relevant conformational states and potential strategies for vaccine and antiviral design.
ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Masaru Kanekiyo, Barney S. Graham
Summary: Current conventional influenza vaccines are outdated, with advances in vaccine technology over the past decade offering new possibilities for improvement. New technologies have led to more precise immune correlates of protection and better vaccine evaluations, potentially leading to improved influenza vaccines in the future.
COLD SPRING HARBOR PERSPECTIVES IN MEDICINE
(2021)