Novel Mutations Evading Avian Immunity around the Receptor Binding Site of the Clade 2.3.2.1c Hemagglutinin Gene Reduce Viral Thermostability and Mammalian Pathogenicity

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Viruses. 2019 Oct 9;11(10). pii: E923. doi: 10.3390/v11100923. Novel Mutations Evading Avian Immunity around the Receptor Binding Site of the Clade 2.3.2.1c Hemagglutinin Gene Reduce Viral Thermostability and Mammalian Pathogenicity.

An SH¹, Lee CY², Hong SM³, Song CS⁴, Kim JH^5,6, Kwon HJ^7,8,9.
Author information

1 Laboratory of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea. eepdl1201@snu.ac.kr. 2 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. chung-young.lee@emory.edu. 3 Laboratory of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea. topkin@snu.ac.kr. 4 Laboratory of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea. songcs@konkuk.ac.kr. 5 Laboratory of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea. kimhong@snu.ac.kr. 6 Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, 08826 Seoul, Korea. kimhong@snu.ac.kr. 7 Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, 08826 Seoul, Korea. kwonhj01@snu.ac.kr. 8 Laboratory of Poultry Medicine, Department of Farm Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea. kwonhj01@snu.ac.kr. 9 Farm Animal Clinical Training and Research Center (FACTRC), GBST, Seoul National University, Kangwon-do 88026, Korea. kwonhj01@snu.ac.kr.

Abstract

Abstract: Since 2007, highly pathogenic clade 2.3.2 H5N1 avian influenza A (A(H5N1)) viruses have evolved to clade 2.3.2.1a, b, and c; currently only 2.3.2.1c A(H5N1) viruses circulate in wild birds and poultry. During antigenic evolution, clade 2.3.2.1a and c A(H5N1) viruses acquired both S144N and V223I mutations around the receptor binding site of hemagglutinin (HA), with S144N generating an N-glycosylation sequon. We introduced single or combined reverse mutations, N144S and/or I223V, into the HA gene of the clade 2.3.2.1c A(H5N1) virus and generated PR8-derived, 2 + 6 recombinant A(H5N1) viruses. When we compared replication efficiency in embryonated chicken eggs, mammalian cells, and mice, the recombinant virus containing both N144S and I223V mutations showed increased replication efficiency in avian and mammalian hosts and pathogenicity in mice. The N144S mutation significantly decreased avian receptor affinity and egg white inhibition, but not all mutations increased mammalian receptor affinity. Interestingly, the combined reverse mutations dramatically increased the thermostability of HA. Therefore, the adaptive mutations possibly acquired to evade avian immunity may decrease viral thermostability as well as mammalian pathogenicity.


KEYWORDS:

HA trimer stability; clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 virus; immunity evasion; mammalian pathogenicity; thermostability

PMID: 31600990 DOI: 10.3390/v11100923
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