Cross-protective immunity against multiple influenza virus subtypes by a novel modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vectored vaccine in mice

Development of an influenza vaccine that provides cross-protective immunity remains a challenge. Candidate vaccines based on a recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viral vector expressing antigens from influenza (MVA/Flu) viruses were constructed. A vaccine candidate, designated MVA/HA₁/C13L/NP, that expresses the hemagglutinin from pandemic H1N1 (A/California/04/09) and the nucleoprotein (NP) from highly pathogenic H5N1 (A/Vietnam/1203/04) fused to a secretory signal sequence from vaccinia virus was highly protective. The vaccine elicited strong antibody titers to homologous H1N1 viruses while cross-reactive antibodies to heterologous viruses were not detectable. In mice, this MVA/HA₁/C13L/NP vaccine conferred complete protection against lethal challenge with A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1), A/Norway/3487-2/09 (pandemic H1N1) or A/Influenza/Puerto Rico/8/34 (seasonal H1N1) and partial protection (57.1%) against challenge with seasonal H3N2 virus (A/Aichi/68). The protective efficacy of the vaccine was not affected by pre-existing immunity to vaccinia. Our findings highlight MVA as suitable vector to express multiple influenza antigens that could afford broad cross-protective immunity against multiple subtypes of influenza virus.     

Conventional influenza vaccines influence the performance of a universal influenza vaccine in mice

Universal influenza vaccines are designed to protect against diverse strains of influenza virus. Preclinical testing of new vaccine candidates is usually done in naïve animals, despite intended use in the human population with its varied immune history including responses to previous vaccinations. As an approach more relevant to human use, we tested a candidate universal influenza vaccine in mice with a history of conventional vaccination. Female BALB/c mice were given two intramuscular doses of inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) or diphtheria and tetanus toxoids vaccine (DT), one month apart. Another group was given two intranasal doses of live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV). One month after the second dose, mice were given the universal influenza vaccine: recombinant adenoviruses expressing influenza A nucleoprotein (A/NP) and matrix 2 (M2) (A/NP + M2-rAd). Immune responses to universal vaccine antigens A/NP and M2 were assessed by ELISA and interferon-γ ELISPOT. Protection was tested by challenge with mouse-adapted A/FM/1/47 (H1N1) and monitoring for weight loss and survival. Universal vaccine performance was enhanced, inhibited or unaffected by particular prior vaccinations. Mice given Afluria IIV and LAIV had greater antibody and T-cell response to A/NP than mice without prior vaccination, providing examples of enhanced A/NP + M2-rAd performance. Though Fluvirin IIV partially inhibited, the universal vaccine still provided considerable protection unlike conventional vaccination. Fluzone IIV and DT had no effect on A/NP + M2-rAd performance. Thus our results demonstrate that universal vaccine candidate A/NP + M2-rAd was at least partially effective in mice with diverse prior histories. However, the degree of protection and nature of the immune responses may be affected by a history of conventional vaccination and suggests that performance in humans would be influenced by immune history.     

In silico prediction of influenza vaccine effectiveness by sequence analysis

The effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccines varies with the matching of vaccine strains to circulating strains. Based on the genetic distance of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase gene of the influenza viruses to vaccine strains, we statistically quantified the relationship between the genetic mismatch and vaccine effectiveness (VE) for influenza A/H1N1pdm09, A/H3N2 and B. We also proposed a systematic approach to integrate multiple genes and influenza types for overall VE estimation. Evident linear relationships were identified and validated in independent data. The modelling framework may enable in silico prediction for VE on a real-time basis and inform the influenza vaccine selection strategy.     

Partial protection against H5N1 influenza in mice with a single dose of a chimpanzee adenovirus vector expressing nucleoprotein

The development of adenoviral vectors based on non-human serotypes such as the chimpanzee adenovirus simian adenovirus 24 (AdC7) may allow for their utilization in populations harboring neutralizing antibodies to common human serotypes. Because adenoviral vectors can be used to generate potent T cell responses, they may be useful as vaccines against pandemic influenza such as may be caused by the H5N1 strains that are currently endemic in avian populations. The influenza nucleoprotein (NP) is known to provide MHC Class I restricted epitopes that are effective in evoking a cytolytic response. Because there is only low sequence variation in NP sequences between different influenza strains, a T cell vaccine may provide heterosubtypic protection against a spectrum of influenza A strains. An AdC7 vector expressing the influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 NP was tested for its efficacy in protecting BALB/c mice against two H5N1 strains and compared to a conventional human adenovirus serotype 5 vaccine. The AdC7 NP vaccine elicited a strong anti-NP T cell response. When tested in a mouse challenge model, there was improved survival following challenge with two strains of H5N1 that have caused human outbreaks, Vietnam/1203/04 and Hong Kong/483/97, although the improved survival reached statistical significance only with the strain from Vietnam.     

Vaccine protection against lethal homologous and heterologous challenge using recombinant AAV vectors expressing codon-optimized genes from pandemic swine origin influenza virus (SOIV)

The recent H1N1 influenza pandemic and the inevitable delay between identification of the virus and production of the specific vaccine have highlighted the urgent need for new generation influenza vaccines that can preemptively induce broad immunity to different strains of the virus. In this study we have produced AAV-based vectors expressing the A/Mexico/4603/2009 (H1N1) hemagglutinin (HA), nucleocapsid (NP) and the matrix protein M1 and have evaluated their ability to induce specific immune response and protect mice against homologous and heterologous challenge. Each of the vaccine vectors elicited potent cellular and humoral immune responses in mice. Although immunization with AAV-M1 did not improve survival after challenge with the homologous strain, immunization with the AAV-H1 and AAV-NP vectors resulted in survival of all mice, as did inoculation with a combination of all three vectors. Furthermore, trivalent vaccination also conferred partial protection against challenge with the highly heterologous and virulent A/PR/8/34 strain of H1N1 influenza.     

A vaccine prepared from a non-pathogenic H7N7 virus isolated from natural reservoir conferred protective immunity against the challenge with lethal dose of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in chickens

During 2001-2004, 41 H7 influenza viruses (2 H7N1 and 39 H7N7 strains) were isolated from fecal samples of migratory ducks that flew from Siberia in the autumn of each year to Japan and Mongolia. A phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) genes of the nine representative isolates revealed that they belonged to the Eurasian lineage and the deduced amino acid sequence at the cleavage site of the HAs represented apathogenic profiles. One of the H7 isolates A/duck/Mongolia/736/02 (H7N7) was chosen from these H7 isolates for the preparation of the test vaccine. To improve the growth potential of A/duck/Mongolia/736/02 (H7N7) in chicken embryos, A/duck/Hokkaido/Vac-2/04 (H7N7) was generated by genetic reassortment between A/duck/Mongolia/736/02 (H7N7) as the donor of the PB2, PB1, PA, HA, NA, and NS genes and A/duck/Hokkaido/49/98 (H9N2) as that of NP and M genes. The test vaccine was prepared as follows; A/duck/Hokkaido/Vac-2/04 (H7N7) was propagated in chicken embryos and the virus in the allantoic fluid was inactivated and adjuvanted to form an oil-in-water emulsion. The test vaccine conferred immunity to chickens, completely protecting the manifestation of clinical signs against the challenge with lethal dose of H7 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. These results indicate that influenza viruses isolated from natural reservoirs are useful for vaccine strains.     

Protection against influenza B virus infection by immunization with DNA vaccines

Protection against a lethal influenza B virus infection was examined in BALB/c mice immunized with plasmid DNAs encoding hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA and NB) and nucleoprotein (NP) from the B/Ibaraki/2/85 virus. Each DNA vaccine was administered twice, 3 weeks apart, at a dose of 1 microg per mouse by particle-mediated DNA transfer to the epidermis (gene gun) or at a dose of 30 microg per mouse by electroporation into the muscle. Three weeks after the second vaccination, the mice were challenged with a lethal dose of homologous virus. HA and NA DNAs conferred complete protection against the lethal viral challenge, whereas NB and NP DNAs failed to provide protection against infection. Furthermore, protection in different strains of mice, BALB/c, B10 and C3H, immunized with HA and NA DNAs was compared. Both HA and NA DNAs conferred complete protection against the lethal challenge in all the tested mouse strains. These results suggest that both the HA and NA molecules can be used as vaccine components to provide effective protection against influenza B virus infection.     

A virus-like particle vaccine candidate for influenza A virus based on multiple conserved antigens presented on hepatitis B tandem core particles

Existing Influenza A virus (IAV) vaccines target variable parts of the virus that may change between seasons. Vaccine design relies on predicting the predominant circulating influenza strains but when there is a mismatch between vaccine and circulating strains, efficacy is sub-optimal. Furthermore, current approaches provide limited protection against emerging influenza strains that may cause pandemics. One solution is to design vaccines that target conserved protein domains of influenza, which remain largely unchanged over time and are likely to be found in emergent variants. We present a virus-like particle (VLP), built using the hepatitis B virus tandem core platform, as an IAV vaccine candidate containing multiple conserved antigens. Hepatitis B core protein spontaneously assembles into a VLP that is immunogenic and confers immunogenicity to proteins incorporated into the major insertion region (MIR) of core monomers. However, insertion of antigen sequences may disrupt particle assembly preventing VLP formation or result in unstable particles. We have overcome these problems by genetically manipulating the hepatitis B core to express core monomers in tandem, ligated with a flexible linker, incorporating different antigens at each of the MIRs. Immunisation with this VLP, named Tandiflu1, containing 4 conserved antigens from matrix protein 2 ectodomain and hemagglutinin stalk, leads to production of cross-reactive and protective antibodies. The polyclonal antibodies induced by Tandiflu1 can bind IAV Group 1 hemagglutinin types H1, H5, H11, H9, H16 and a conserved epitope on matrix protein 2 expressed by most strains of IAV. Vaccination with Tandiflu1 results in 100% protection from a lethal influenza challenge with H1N1 IAV. Serum transfer from vaccinated animals is sufficient to confer protection from influenza-associated illness in naïve mice. These data suggest that a Tandem Core based IAV vaccine might provide broad protection against common and emergent H1 IAV strains responsible for seasonal and pandemic influenza in man.     

Effective mosaic-based nanovaccines against avian influenza in poultry

Avian influenza virus (AIV) is an extraordinarily diverse pathogen that causes significant morbidity in domesticated poultry populations and threatens human life with looming pandemic potential. Controlling avian influenza in susceptible populations requires highly effective, economical and broadly reactive vaccines. Several AIV vaccines have proven insufficient despite their wide use, and better technologies are needed to improve their immunogenicity and broaden effectiveness. Previously, we developed a “mosaic” H5 subtype hemagglutinin (HA) AIV vaccine and demonstrated its broad protection against diverse highly pathogenic H5N1 and seasonal H1N1 virus strains in mouse and non-human primate models. There is a significant interest in developing effective and safe vaccines against AIV that cannot contribute to the emergence of new strains of the virus once circulating in poultry. Here, we report on the development of an H5 mosaic (H5M) vaccine antigen formulated with polyanhydride nanoparticles (PAN) that provide sustained release of encapsulated antigens. H5M vaccine constructs were immunogenic whether delivered by the modified virus Ankara (MVA) strain or encapsulated within PAN. Both humoral and cellular immune responses were generated in both specific-pathogen free (SPF) and commercial chicks. Importantly, chicks vaccinated by H5M constructs were protected in terms of viral shedding from divergent challenge with a low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) strain at 8 weeks post-vaccination. In addition, protective levels of humoral immunity were generated against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of the similar H5N1 and genetically dissimilar H5N2 viruses. Overall, the developed platform technologies (MVA vector and PAN encapsulation) were safe and provided high levels of sustained protection against AIV in chickens. Such approaches could be used to design more efficacious vaccines against other important poultry infections.     

成都市2009年流感病毒H3N2亚型血凝素基因分析

[目的]了解某市流行的H3N2流感病毒分子生物学特征、进化情况,及其血凝素基因与猪流感病毒血凝素基因的关系。[方法]对该市分离的2009年H3N2亚型流感病毒40株血凝素基因进行逆转录-聚合酶链(RT-PCR)扩增,然后测序,分析该市流感病毒H3N2亚型的核酸序列和氨基酸序列,与2009年疫苗推荐株及四川省猪流感病毒基因序列比对分析。[结果]该市2009年流感病毒H3N2亚型的流行株,与2009年的疫苗株比较,碱基同源性为99.5%,抗原性有一定的差异,但不是重组变异病毒,其流行强度有限。与A/swine//Sichuan/1/2006(H3N2)比较,同源性为94.4%,说明人源流感病毒A/H3N2与猪源流感病毒A/H3N2具有一定的同源性,但抗原决定簇区和受体结合位点具有差异,在种间互相流行的可能性较低。[结论]该市流感A/H3N2流行株虽然有一定的变异,但没有大流行的预警提示出现。长期监测具有必要性。     

Immunocapture isotope dilution mass spectrometry in response to a pandemic influenza threat

As a result of recent advances in mass spectrometry-based protein quantitation methods, these techniques are now poised to play a critical role in rapid formulation of pandemic influenza vaccines. Analytical techniques that have been developed and validated on seasonal influenza strains can be used to increase the quality and decrease the time required to deliver protective pandemic vaccines to the global population. The emergence of a potentially pandemic avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in March of 2013, prompted the US public health authorities and the vaccine industry to initiate production of a pre-pandemic vaccine for preparedness purposes. To this end, we evaluated the feasibility of using immunocapture isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IC-IDMS) to evaluate the suitability of the underlying monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies (mAbs and pAbs) for their capacity to isolate the H7 hemagglutinin (HA) in this new vaccine for quantification by IDMS. A broad range of H7 capture efficiencies was observed among mAbs tested by IC-IDMS with FR-545, 46/6, and G3 A533 exhibiting the highest cross-reactivity capabilities to H7 of A/Shanghai/2/2013. MAb FR-545 was selected for continued assessment, evaluated by IC-IDMS for mAb reactivity against H7 in the H7N9 candidate vaccine virus and compared with/to reactivity to the reference polyclonal antiserum in allantoic fluid, purified whole virus, lyophilized whole virus and final detergent-split monovalent vaccine preparations for vaccine development. IC-IDMS assessment of FR-545 alongside IC-IDMS using the reference polyclonal antiserum to A/Shanghai/2/2013 and with the regulatory SRID method showed strong correlation and mAb IC-IDMS could have played an important role in the event a potential surrogate potency test was required to be rapidly implemented.     

Assessment of viral replication in eggs and HA protein yield of pre-pandemic H5N1 candidate vaccine viruses

H5N1 infection and the potential for spread from human to human continue to pose a severe public health concern. Since vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent a potential H5N1 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers (CCs) and Essential Regulatory Laboratories (ERLs) engineered and developed a panel of H5N1 pre-pandemic vaccine viruses for pandemic vaccine preparedness as well as production of antigen potency testing reagents (reference antigen and reference anti-serum) for vaccine standardization. To develop a strategy utilizing a number of biochemical methods for the characterization of the viral growth properties and protein yield in eggs, we have selected eight H5N1 pre-pandemic viruses and determined the viral Egg Infectious Dose 50 (EID₅₀), total protein yield, hemagglutinin (HA) to nucleoprotein (NP) ratios (HA:NP), and HA1 content of each virus. Our results showed that all the tested H5N1 vaccine viruses grew to high titers in eggs. The total viral protein yield varies within a narrow range, whereas there were greater differences in the HA:NP protein ratios among the eight viruses. The RP-HPLC based HA1 content analysis demonstrated that the viruses A/Anhui/1/2010, A/Hubei/1/2005, and A/goose/Guiyang/337/2006 contained higher HA contents than other five viruses including A/Vietnam/1203/2003. Our approach for analyzing virus growth and protein yield will allow us identify optimal vaccine virus in a timely manner. In addition, we successfully purified the HA proteins of H5N1 vaccine viruses by optimizing bromelain cleavage conditions. Our studies on the HA protein purification may improve the quality control of the production of influenza vaccine test reagent.     

铜川市2013-2015年A型流感病毒HA基因特性研究

目的 应用生物信息学数据库和工具,了解2013-2014年铜川市A型H1N1和2013-2015年A型H3N2流感病毒血凝素(HA)基因特性及其抗原变异情况。 方法 收集铜川市哨点医院流感样病例标本,采用MDCK细胞分离流感病毒。用RT-PCR对部分A型H1N1、H3N2流感病毒进行HA基因序列扩增和纯化,序列测定,并用MEGA软件构建种系发生树分析。 结果 2013-2015年铜川市流感核酸检测标本共2 333份,流感阳性476份,阳性率20.40%。4株A型H1N1亚型流感病毒与WHO推荐A/California/07/2009(H1N1)疫苗株氨基酸序列比对,共发生11次氨基酸突变,其中3个氨基酸位点突变发生在抗原决定簇。3株A型H3N2亚型与WHO推荐的北半球2013-2014年A/Victoria/361/2011(H3N2)疫苗株比对共有9个氨基酸位点发生了突变,其中3个氨基酸位点发生在抗原决定簇;与WHO推荐的北半球2014-2015年A/Texas/50/2012(H3N2)疫苗株比对共有10个氨基酸位点发生了突变,有5个氨基酸位点发生在抗原决定簇。 结论 2013-2015年铜川市流行的A型H1N1、H3N2亚型流感病毒氨基酸发生突变导致抗原漂移。     

Antigenic and genomic relation between human influenza A (H3N2) viruses circulating in Argentina during 1998 and the H3N2 vaccine component.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the lack of correlation from 1994 to 1997 between the A H3N2 component of the influenza vaccine recommended for this period and the circulating viruses in Argentina, we decided to study the antigenic and genomic relationships of the 1998 A H3N2 Argentine circulating strains with the corresponding vaccine component for that year as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). METHODS: We selected 18 influenza A H3N2 strains isolated in Argentina during 1998 to carry out an antigenic and genomic study of their hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins. For the genomic study we added 3 isolates from Uruguay. We compared the Argentine and Uruguayan strains with available reference strains. RESULTS: We found that all 18 strains from Argentina were similar to the A/Sydney/5/97 (H3N2) strain, as opposed to the A/Wuhan/359/95 (H3N2) strain, which was the vaccine component. This result was confirmed by the genomic study. CONCLUSIONS: The approach that we applied in Argentina has improved the quality and quantity of information about influenza in the country. This type of work should be encouraged in other countries in order to help choose the most appropriate vaccine components each year and provide individuals with the best possible protection against influenza.     

甲型流感病毒核蛋白单克隆抗体制备及其初步应用

目的 制备甲型流感病毒核蛋白(NP)单克隆抗体,为甲型流感病毒诊断试剂盒以及相关研究提供材料.方法 大肠埃希菌BL21 (DE3)表达NP作为免疫原,免疫Balb/c小鼠后取脾脏细胞与SP2/0细胞融合,筛选获得阳性细胞株,注射小鼠腹腔得到单克隆抗体,纯化后进行Western印迹法、ELISA法、细胞免疫染色和荧光法、双抗夹心ELISA法确定NP抗体的生物学特性,探索应用范围.结果 从Western印迹法、ELISA和细胞免疫染色法的结果可得知,抗NP单克隆抗体可以与免疫原特异性结合,也可以与H1N1、H3N2亚型流感病毒的NP特异性结合,具备检测流感病毒的能力.双抗夹心ELISA法进一步提升了抗体对抗原的检测灵敏度至128 pg.同时,通过细胞免疫荧光法观察到抗体可在细胞内显示NP从细胞核扩散到细胞质的过程.结论 制备的抗体成功检测H1N1、H3N2两种亚型的流感病毒,可作为用于流感防治的流感病毒诊断试剂盒的材料.     

Randomized,single-blind,active-controlled phase I clinical trial to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of GC3114 (high-dose,quadrivalent influenza vaccine) in healthy adults

Influenza is a major medically attended respiratory illness. The impact of influenza on morbidity and mortality is particularly high in the elderly. Immunosenescence attenuates the immune response of influenza vaccine in the elderly. High-dose influenza vaccine contains 60 μg of hemagglutinin per strain, four times more compared with standard-dose (SD) influenza vaccine. This study is a phase I clinical trial investigating the immunogenicity and safety of the GC3114, high-dose, quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-QIV) in healthy adults aged 19–64 years during the 2017–2018 season. Seroprotection rates of HD-QIV were 100.0% for A/H1N1, 96.67% for A/H3N2, 83.33% for B/Yamagata, and 96.67% for B/Victoria. Seroconversion rate for A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Yamagata, and B/Victoria strains were 86.67%, 90.0%, 53.33%, and 53.33%, respectively, in the HD-QIV group. The post-/pre-vaccination geometric mean titer ratio (GMTR) was 15.28 for A/H1N1, 8.19 for A/H3N2, 3.56 for B/Yamagata, and 3.03 for B/Victoria in the HD-QIV group. Seroconversion rate and post-/pre-vaccination GMTR for A/H3N2 were significantly higher in the HD-QIV group than in the SD-QIV group (control). No serious adverse events were reported. In conclusion, GC3114 was safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic in healthy adults. Clinical Trials Identifier: NCT03357263.     

年龄和流感病毒暴露对免后血清与H3N2亚型变异株交叉反应的影响

  目的  评估年龄和既往流感病毒暴露史对免后血清与H3N2亚型变异株交叉反应的影响。  方法  将750名受试者按照1:1的比例接种试验用流感病毒亚单位疫苗和对照用流感病毒裂解疫苗,并且根据年龄和流感病毒暴露史分组,通过血凝抑制（hemagglutination inhibition,HI）试验测得受试者免疫前后血清针对疫苗株的血凝抑制滴度,与免疫后血清针对当年流行的4株H3N2亚型变异流感毒株的抗体滴度,计算抗体几何平均滴度（geometric mean titer,GMT）,以及变异株和疫苗株的抗体GMT比值比,使用Kruskal-Wallis秩和检验比较不同年龄组以及不同既往流感暴露组之间的GMT比值比差异。  结果  在接种流感病毒亚单位疫苗的人群中,在免疫前同时暴露于H1亚型和B型流感病毒株的受试者,其针对A/Jiangsu-Nanchang/11926/2014（H3N2）的免后抗体水平高于无H1/B暴露的人群（t=3.913,P=0.001）。在接种流感病毒裂解疫苗的人群中,19~59岁的成年人针对A/Jiangsu-Haizhou/11044/2015（H3N2）免后交叉反应水平高于3~18岁的青少年（t=3.198,P=0.008）。  结论  先前暴露于H1亚型或B型流感病毒,可能会不同程度地影响H3免后抗体应答的交叉反应性,并因此可能影响疫苗效力。人类的免疫后反应存在年龄特异性差异。     

2007-2009年郴州市H3N2亚型流感病毒HA1基因特性研究

目的了解2007-2009年郴州市H3N2亚型流感病毒流行情况及血凝素基因变异特征。方法 按时间先后顺序随机选择2007-2009年流感病原学监测中分离到的H3N2亚型毒株8株,提取病毒核糖核酸（RNA）,采用RT-PCR法扩增病毒HA1基因,纯化产物进行核苷酸序列测定并推导其氨基酸序列进行基因特性分析。结果H3N2亚型流感病毒在2007年为优势株,2008-2009年相对H1N1亚型流感病毒为弱势株;2007年分离株与该年疫苗株（A/Wisconsin/67/2005）比较,变异位点主要为G50E、S138A、K140I、R142G、N144D和L157S,抗原性发生了漂移;2008年分离株与2008-2009年疫苗株（A/Brisbane/10/2007）比较,变异位点主要为R142G、L157S;2009年分离株与该年疫苗株比较,变异位点主要为L157S、K173Q,2008-2009年分离株与该年疫苗株比较未发生明显变异。结论郴州市2007年H3N2亚型流感病毒HA1发生了明显变异,H3N2流感病毒较活跃,当年生产的疫苗预防效果较差;2008-2009年H3N2亚型流感病毒HA1与该年度疫苗株相比未发生明显变异,人群对其建立较好的免疫屏障,这是郴州市2008-2009年H3N2亚型流感病毒活动水平较低的主要原因。     

Universal influenza vaccine based on conserved antigens provides long-term durability of immune responses and durable broad protection against diverse challenge virus strains in mice

Current influenza vaccines rely on inducing antibody responses to the rapidly evolving hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins, and thus need to be strain-matched. However, predictions of strains that will circulate are imperfect, and manufacturing of new vaccines based on them takes months. As an alternative, universal influenza vaccines target highly conserved antigens. In proof of concept studies of universal vaccine candidates in animal models challenge is generally conducted only a short time after vaccination, but protective immunity lasting far longer is important for the intended public health impact. We address the challenge of providing long-term protection. We demonstrate here broad, powerful, and long-lasting immune protection for a promising universal vaccine candidate. A single intranasal dose of recombinant adenoviruses (rAd) expressing influenza A nucleoprotein (A/NP) and matrix 2 (M2) was used. Extending our previous studies of this type of vaccine, we show that antibody and T-cell responses persist for over a year without boosting, and that protection against challenge persists a year after vaccination and remains broad, covering both group 1 and 2 influenza A viruses. In addition, we extend the work to influenza B. Immunization with influenza B nucleoprotein (B/NP)-rAd also gives immune responses that last a year without boosting and protect against challenge with influenza B viruses of mismatched HA lineages. Despite host immunity to adenoviral antigens, effective readministration is possible a year after primary vaccination, as shown by successful immunization to a transgene product the animals had not seen before. Protection against challenge with divergent and highly pathogenic A/H7N9 virus was weaker but was enhanced by a second dose of vaccine. Thus, this mucosal vaccination to conserved influenza antigens confers very long-lasting immune protection in animals against a broad range of influenza A and B viruses.     

Generation and evaluation of the trivalent inactivated reassortant vaccine using human, avian, and swine influenza A viruses

Reassortant technology was used to obtain three interspecific reassortant influenza viruses using three influenza viruses of A/Puerto Rico/8/34(H1N1), A/swine/Hebei/1/2005(H3N2) and A/chicken/Guangdong/126/2002(H9N2). The high-growth reassortant strains were H9/PR8, H3/H9N2 and H1/H9N2 that contained hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes from the inactivated parental viruses and the other 6 internal genes from the live parental viruses. The trivalent formalin-inactivated vaccine, containing H1, H3 and H9 subtype antigens from human, swine and avian influenza viruses respectively, was prepared using these reassortant viruses. Animal studies showed that the vaccine was safe and immunogenic. Two-dosing regimen of the influenza vaccine induced high titers of hemagglutination inhibiting (HI) antibodies and influenza-specific IgG antibodies without antigenic cross-interference. It protected 100% chickens from challenge of A/chicken/Guangdong/126/2002 virus and protected 100% mice against challenges with different combinations of the three infective parental viruses. These results indicated that the trivalent vaccine could offer multi-protection against multi-influenza viruses synchronously. This kind of multivalent inactivated reassortant influenza vaccine maybe enlightens the pandemic influenza preparedness as the emergency measure.