title: Virus-like particles as universal influenza vaccines.
abstract: Current influenza vaccines are primarily targeted to induce immunity to the influenza virus strain-specific hemagglutinin antigen and are not effective in controlling outbreaks of new pandemic viruses. An approach for developing universal vaccines is to present highly conserved antigenic epitopes in an immunogenic conformation such as virus-like particles (VLPs) together with an adjuvant to enhance the vaccine immunogenicity. In this review, the authors focus on conserved antigenic targets and molecular adjuvants that were presented in VLPs. Conserved antigenic targets that include the hemagglutinin stalk domain, the external domain of influenza M2 and neuraminidase are discussed in addition to molecular adjuvants that are engineered to be incorporated into VLPs in a membrane-anchored form.
authors.affiliation: Center for Inflammation, Immunity & Infection, and Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. skang24@gsu.edu
authors.forename: Sang-Moo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Min-Chul
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Compans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D056738:Cross Protection; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000276:immunology; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D009439:Neuraminidase; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C488937:M2 protein, Influenza A virus; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins