title: Mass spectrometry analysis of the influenza virus.
abstract: The role of mass spectrometry to probe characteristics of the influenza virus, and vaccine and antiviral drugs that target the virus, are reviewed. Genetic and proteomic approaches have been applied which incorporate high resolution mass spectrometry and mass mapping to genotype the virus and establish its evolution in terms of the primary structure of the surface protein antigens. A mass spectrometric immunoassay has been developed and applied to assess the structure and antigenicity of the virus in terms of the hemagglutinin antigen. The quantitation of the hemagglutinin antigen in vaccine preparations has also been conducted that is of importance to their efficacy. Finally, the characterization and quantitation of antiviral drugs against the virus, and their metabolites, have been monitored in blood, serum, and urine. The combined approaches demonstrate the strengths of modern mass spectrometric methods for the characterization of this killer virus. [This article was published online 10 September 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected 7 November 2008.]
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular & Microbial Biosciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. kdownard@usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Downard
authors.forename: Bethny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Morrissey
authors.forename: Alexander B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Schwahn
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D007252:Influenza Vaccines