Universal flu vaccine for influenza A and B virus variants
Written By : Isra Zaman
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2022-08-27 04:15 GMT | Update On 2024-02-15 12:54 GMT
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A new universal flu vaccine protects against diverse variants of both influenza A and B viruses in mice, according to a new study by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.
The researchers designed a single, universal influenza vaccine candidate with key cross-protective, less variable parts of the influenza A and B viruses: multi-neuraminidase protein subtypes known to be major antiviral drug targets and the universally conserved M2 ectodomain protein.
The findings, published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, report that mice vaccinated with an immune-stimulating virus-like particle displaying multiple neuraminidase subtypes and conserved M2 portions of antigens (foreign proteins that induce immune responses) were protected against influenza A seasonal variants and pandemic potential viruses and influenza B viruses containing substantial antigenic variations.
Vaccinating mice with this universal vaccine candidate induced broad neuraminidase inhibition, M2 ectodomain specific antibodies and T cell immune responses. Comparable cross-protection was induced in aged mice. The study warrants further testing of this unique, universal vaccine candidate in ferrets, which have similar respiratory tracts to humans.
Ref:
Dr. Sang-Moo Kang et al, Universal protection against influenza viruses by multi-subtype neuraminidase and M2 ectodomain virus-like particle, PLoS Pathogens,DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1010755
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