title: A dual purpose universal influenza vaccine candidate confers protective immunity against anthrax.
abstract: Preventive influenza vaccines must be reformulated annually because of antigen shift and drift of circulating influenza viral strains. However, seasonal vaccines do not always match the circulating strains, and there is the ever-present threat that avian influenza viruses may adapt to humans. Hence, a universal influenza vaccine is needed to provide protective immunity against a broad range of influenza viruses. We designed an influenza antigen consisting of three tandem M2e repeats plus HA2, in combination with a detoxified anthrax oedema toxin delivery system (EFn plus PA) to enhance immune responses. The EFn-3×M2e-HA2 plus PA vaccine formulation elicited robust, antigen-specific, IgG responses; and was protective against heterologous influenza viral challenge when intranasally delivered to mice three times. Moreover, use of the detoxified anthrax toxin system as an adjuvant had the additional benefit of generating protective immunity against anthrax. Hence, this novel vaccine strategy could potentially address two major emerging public health and biodefence threats.
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors: Maria T
authors: MT
authors: Arévalo
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors: Junwei
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: Diaz-Arévalo
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors: Yanping
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors: Ashley
authors: A
authors: Navarro
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.|Key Laboratory of Oral Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Oral Disease, Stomatological Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors: Lihong
authors: L
authors: Wu
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.|Key Laboratory of Oral Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Oral Disease, Stomatological Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors: Yongyong
authors: Y
authors: Yan
authors: Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors: Mingtao
authors: M
authors: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000276:immunology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023482:Bioterrorism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D016207:Cytokines; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; C030325:anthrax toxin
keywords: adjuvant; anthrax toxin; heterologous immunity; intranasal vaccination; universal influenza vaccine