title: Induction of neutralising antibodies by virus-like particles harbouring surface proteins from highly pathogenic H5N1 and H7N1 influenza viruses.
abstract: There is an urgent need to develop novel approaches to vaccination against the emerging, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Here, we engineered influenza viral-like particles (Flu-VLPs) derived from retroviral core particles that mimic the properties of the viral surface of two highly pathogenic influenza viruses of either H7N1 or H5N1 antigenic subtype. We demonstrate that, upon recovery of viral RNAs from a field strain, one can easily generate expression vectors that encode the HA, NA and M2 surface proteins of either virus and prepare high-titre Flu-VLPs. We characterise these Flu-VLPs incorporating the HA, NA and M2 proteins and we show that they induce high-titre neutralising antibodies in mice.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U758, F-69007 Lyon, France. judit.szecsi@ens-lyon.fr
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szécsi
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boson
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Johnsson
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dupeyrot-Lacas
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matrosovich
authors.forename: Hans-Dieter
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Klenk
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klatzmann
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Volchkov
authors.forename: François-Loïc
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Cosset
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014771:Virion / Q000302:isolation & purification*