title: Broadly neutralizing antibodies against influenza virus and prospects for universal therapies.
abstract: Vaccines are the gold standard for the control and prevention of infectious diseases, but a number of important human diseases remain challenging targets for vaccine development. An influenza vaccine that confers broad spectrum, long-term protection remains elusive. Several broadly neutralizing antibodies have been identified that protect against multiple subtypes of influenza A viruses, and crystal structures of several neutralizing antibodies in complex with the major influenza surface antigen, hemagglutinin, have revealed at least 3 highly conserved epitopes. Our understanding of the molecular details of these antibody-antigen interactions has suggested new strategies for the rational design of improved influenza vaccines, and has inspired the development of new antivirals for the treatment of influenza infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Damian C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ekiert
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral