Matrix Protein 2 Extracellular Domain-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies Are an Effective and Potentially Universal Treatment for Influenza A
Lynn Bimler, Sydney L. Ronzulli, Amber Y. Song, Scott K. Johnson, Cheryl A. Jones, Teha Kim, Duy T. Le, S. Mark Tompkins, Silke Paust
Abstract
Despite a seasonal vaccine and multiple therapeutic treatments, Influenza A remains a significant threat to human health. The biggest obstacle is producing a vaccine or treatment for influenza A is their universality or efficacy against not only seasonal variances in the influenza virus, but also against all human, avian, and swine serotypes and, therefore, potential pandemic strains. M2e has huge potential as a target for a vaccine or treatment against influenza A. It is the most conserved external protein on the virus. Antibodies against M2e have made it to clinical trials, but not succeeded. Here, we describe novel M2e antibodies produced in mice that are not only protective at low doses, but that we extensively test to determine their universality and found to be cross protective against all strains tested. Additionally, our work begins to elucidate the critical role of isotype for an influenza A monoclonal antibody therapeutic.