Virology . Enhanced cross protection by hetero prime-boost vaccination with recombinant influenza viruses containing chimeric hemagglutinin-M2e epitopes

[tetano]

Virology


. 2021 Dec 10;566:143-152.
doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.12.003. Online ahead of print.
Enhanced cross protection by hetero prime-boost vaccination with recombinant influenza viruses containing chimeric hemagglutinin-M2e epitopes


Bo Ryoung Park ¹ , Jeeva Subbiah ¹ , Ki-Hye Kim ¹ , Young-Man Kwon ¹ , Judy Oh ¹ , Min-Chul Kim ² , Chong-Hyun Shin ¹ , Baik Lin Seong ³ , Sang-Moo Kang ⁴



Affiliations

• PMID: 34929590
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.12.003

Abstract

Annual repeat influenza vaccination raises concerns about protective efficacy against mismatched viruses. We investigated the impact of heterologous prime-boost vaccination on inducing cross protection by designing recombinant influenza viruses with chimeric hemagglutinin (HA) carrying M2 extracellular domains (M2e-HA). Heterologous prime-boost vaccination of C57BL/6 mice with M2e-HA chimeric virus more effectively induced M2e and HA stalk specific IgG antibodies correlating with cross protection than homologous prime-boost vaccination. Induction of M2e and HA stalk specific IgG antibodies was compromised in 1-year old mice, indicating significant aging effects on priming subdominant M2e and HA stalk IgG antibody responses. This study demonstrates that a heterologous prime-boost strategy with recombinant influenza virus expressing extra M2e epitopes provides more effective cross protection than homologous vaccination.

Keywords: Cross protection; Live attenuated virus; M2e; Recombinant influenza virus.