Open AccessProtection against mouse and avian influenza A strains via vaccination with a combination of conserved proteins NP, M1 and NS1
Author(s) -
Zhirnov Oleg P.,
Isaeva Elena I.,
Konakova Tatyana E.,
Thoidis Galini,
Piskareva Lyudmila M.,
Akopova Irina I.,
Kartashov Alex,
Altstein Anatoly D.,
Ilyinskii Petr O.,
Shneider Alexander M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
influenza and other respiratory viruses
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.743
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1750-2659
pISSN - 1750-2640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2007.00010.x
Subject(s) - immunogenicity , virology , vaccination , immunization , biology , dna vaccination , influenza a virus , antigenic drift , influenza a virus subtype h5n1 , epitope , influenza vaccine , recombinant dna , virus , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , immune system , immunology , antibody , genetics
Background Experimental data accumulated over more than a decade indicate that cross‐strain protection against influenza may be achieved by immunization with conserved influenza proteins. At the same time, the efficacy of immunization schemes designed along these lines and involving internal influenza proteins, mostly NP and M1, has not been sufficient. Objective To test the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DNA vaccination with a combination of NP, M1 and NS1 genes of influenza virus. Methods The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DNA vaccination with NP, M1 and NS1 was tested in mice and chickens. Mice were challenged with mouse‐adapted viral strains H3N2 and H5N2 and chicken challenged with avian H5N3 virus. Results In these settings, wild‐type NS1 did not impede the cellular and humoral response to NP/M1 immunization in vivo . Moreover, addition of NS1‐encoding plasmid to the NP/M1 immunization protocol resulted in a significantly increased protective efficacy in vivo . Conclusions The addition of NS1 to an influenza immunization regimen based on conserved proteins bears promise. It is feasible that upon further genetic modification of these and additional conserved influenza proteins, providing for their higher safety, expression and immunogenicity, a recombinant vaccine based on several structural and non‐structural proteins or their epitopes will offer broad anti‐influenza protection in a wide range of species.