Mutations in the Hemagglutinin Stalk Domain Do Not Permit Escape from a Protective, Stalk-Based Vaccine-Induced Immune Response in the Mouse Model
Ericka Kirkpatrick Roubidoux, Juan Manuel Carreño, Meagan McMahon, Kaijun Jiang, Harm van Bakel, Patrick C. Wilson, Florian Krammer
Abstract
Broadly protective or universal influenza virus vaccines target viral epitopes that appear to be conserved. However, it is unclear whether the virus will be able to escape once immunological pressure is applied to these epitopes through vaccination of large proportions of the population. Studies that investigate the fitness and antigenic characteristics of viruses that escape immunological pressure on these conserved epitopes are therefore urgently needed.
Topics & Concepts
Hemagglutinin (influenza)VirologyMutantMutagenesisBiologyEpitopeAntigenic driftStalkVirusInfluenza A virusMonoclonal antibodyMutationAntigenGeneticsAntibodyGeneHorticultureInfluenza Virus Research Studiesinterferon and immune responsesImmune Response and Inflammation