title: Potentiation of the immune response to influenza virus subunit vaccines.
abstract: Influenza subunit vaccines are poorly immunogenic in unprimed lower animals and man and a method was sought to potentiate the humoral response. Intact heterologous influenza A virus vaccine (A/Victoria/3/75 [H3N2]) potentiated the antibody response of hamsters to A/NJ/76 [Hsw1 N1] subunit vaccines but large doses of intact virus were required. Studies in seronegative young human adults showed that much lower doses of homologous A/NJ/76 [Hsw1 N1] virus potentiated the antibody response to both the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subunits of A/NJ/76 influenza vaccines. This suggests that future influenza subunit vaccines for use in seronegative people should contain a small amount of whole virus vaccine, sufficient to potentiate the immune response to the subunits but insufficient to be reactogenic.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000917:Antibody Formation; D006224:Cricetinae; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D009439:Neuraminidase