Universal flu vaccine to provide comprehensive protection
An American research team presents a new flu vaccine that is intended to offer more comprehensive protection against influenza viruses. According to a recent study, the universal vaccine has the potential to significantly improve immune protection against influenza.
Researchers from Georgia State University report in the journal “Biomaterials‘ of a novel influenza vaccine designed to induce a broad immune response against influenza viruses from different lineages, thereby providing sustained immune protection against influenza.
Influenza B is responsible for a quarter of all clinical cases of infection
According to the research team, type B influenza viruses were responsible for around a quarter of all infectious diseases that had to be treated in a hospital in the decades before the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus appeared.
The currently available vaccines against influenza have to be adapted to the predominant strains of the virus every year and therefore vary in effectiveness. A vaccine that is equally effective against all influenza viruses would therefore be of great public health importance.
Flu vaccines target changing parts of the virus
As the Georgia State University working group explains, previous flu vaccines have targeted an often evolving part of the influenza virus called the HA head. For this reason, the seasonal vaccine against influenza has to be constantly reformulated.
To overcome this limitation, the team has now developed a vaccine that uses the conserved part of the virus to create substantial and broad cross-protection against different influenza strains.
Potential for a universal influenza vaccine
“In this study, we generated structure-stabilized HA stalk antigens from influenza B and fabricated bilayered protein nanoparticles as universal influenza B vaccine candidates,” explains study lead author Dr. Baozhong Wang how the vaccine works.
“We have found that layered protein nanoparticles with structure-stabilized constant antigens have the potential for a universal influenza vaccine with improved immune protection and range,” confirms the scientist.
The nanoparticle vaccine has already been successfully tested in human cell cultures and mice. In both cases, the vaccination proved to be safe, biocompatible, biodegradable and highly immunogenic.
Nanoparticle vaccine against influenza A and B in planning
“Our next goal is to combine the influenza A nanoparticles from our earlier study with the influenza B nanoparticles produced and tested here to produce a multivalent universal influenza nanoparticle vaccine against both influenza A and influenza B.” ‘ Wang describes the next steps. (vb)
Author and source information
This text corresponds to the specifications of medical specialist literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been checked by medical professionals.
Author:
Graduate editor (FH) Volker Blasek
Sources:
- Yufeng Song, Wandi Zhu, Ye Wang, et al.: Layered protein nanoparticles containing influenza B HA stalk induced sustained cross-protection against viruses spanning both viral lineages; in: Biomaterials (2022), sciencedirect.com
- Georgia State University: Universal influenza B vaccine induces broad, sustained protection, biomedical sciences researchers find (veröffentlicht: 08.07.2022), eurekalert.org
Important NOTE:
This article contains general advice only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. He can not substitute a visit at the doctor.