title: Adjuvant-free immunization with hemagglutinin-Fc fusion proteins as an approach to influenza vaccines.
abstract: The hemagglutinins (HAs) of human H1 and H3 influenza viruses and avian H5 influenza virus were produced as recombinant fusion proteins with the human immunoglobulin Fc domain. Recombinant HA-human immunoglobulin Fc domain (HA-HuFc) proteins were secreted from baculovirus-infected insect cells as glycosylated oligomer HAs of the anticipated molecular mass, agglutinated red blood cells, were purified on protein A, and were used to immunize mice in the absence of adjuvant. Immunogenicity was demonstrated for all subtypes, with the serum samples demonstrating subtype-specific hemagglutination inhibition, epitope specificity similar to that seen with virus infection, and neutralization. HuFc-tagged HAs are potential candidates for gene-to-vaccine approaches to influenza vaccination.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AJ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Junyuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Pongsathon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phapugrangkul
authors.forename: Camilo A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Colaco
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Molesti
authors.forename: Nigel J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Temperton
authors.forename: Wendy S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Barclay
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007313:Insecta; D051379:Mice; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic