Dissociation of influenza virus hemagglutinin and neuraminidase eliminates their intravirionic antigenic competition.
When presented together on the intact influenza virus particle, the external hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) antigens are competitive, with HA dominant over NA in both T- and B-cell priming (B. E. Johansson, T. M. Moran, and E. D. Kilbourne, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:6869-6873, 1987). Dissociation and purification of HA and NA from virus and their injection separately or in combination into BALB/c mice eliminates their antigenic competition as measured by antibody response, confirming that it is their structural association that leads to what we have termed intravirionic antigenic competition. We discuss this phenomenon with respect to previously described intermolecular antigenic competition and with regard to its probable mechanism. Our findings are relevant to contemporary interest in viral vaccine vectors and multicomponent vaccines.
Johansson
B E
BE
Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 71112.
Kilbourne
E D
ED
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000276:immunology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D009439:Neuraminidase