A monoclonal antibody targeting a highly conserved epitope in influenza B neuraminidase provides protection against drug resistant strains.

Abstract

All influenza viral neuraminidases (NA) of both type A and B viruses have only one universally conserved sequence located between amino acids 222-230. A monoclonal antibody against this region has been previously reported to provide broad inhibition against all nine subtypes of influenza A NA; yet its inhibitory effect against influenza B viral NA remained unknown. Here, we report that the monoclonal antibody provides a broad inhibition against various strains of influenza B viruses of both Victoria and Yamagata genetic lineage. Moreover, the growth and NA enzymatic activity of two drug resistant influenza B strains (E117D and D197E) are also inhibited by the antibody even though these two mutations are conformationally proximal to the universal epitope. Collectively, these data suggest that this unique, highly-conserved linear sequence in viral NA is exposed sufficiently to allow access by inhibitory antibody during the course of infection; it could represent a potential target for antiviral agents and vaccine-induced immune responses against diverse strains of type B influenza virus.

• Authors: Tracey M Doyle, Changgui Li, Doris J Bucher, Anwar M Hashem, Gary Van Domselaar, Junzhi Wang, Aaron Farnsworth, Yi-Min She, Terry Cyr, Runtao He, Earl G Brown, Aeron C Hurt, Xuguang Li
• Journal: Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun) Vol. 441 Issue 1 Pg. 226-9 (Nov 08 2013) ISSN: 1090-2104 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24140051 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Viral
• Epitopes
• Neuraminidase

Topics

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animals
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (immunology, pharmacology)
• Antibodies, Viral (immunology)
• Conserved Sequence
• Dogs
• Drug Resistance, Viral (drug effects, genetics, immunology)
• Epitopes (chemistry, immunology)
• Humans
• Influenza B virus (drug effects, enzymology, growth & development, immunology)
• Influenza, Human (immunology, prevention & control, virology)
• Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
• Models, Molecular
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Mutation (genetics)
• Neuraminidase (antagonists & inhibitors, chemistry, immunology)