Nucleoprotein vaccine induces cross-protective cytotoxic T lymphocytes against both lineages of influenza B virus.
- Author:
So Young LEE
1
;
Jung Ok KANG
;
Jun CHANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Influenza B virus; Cross protective immunity; Nucleoproteins; Cytotoxic T lymphocytes; Recombinant adenovirus; Epitope
- MeSH: Adenoviridae; Animals; Antibody Formation; Epitopes; Humans; Influenza B virus*; Influenza Vaccines; Influenza, Human*; Lymphocytes; Mice; Nucleoproteins*; Seasons; T-Lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic*; Vaccination; Vaccines; Victoria
- From:Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research 2019;8(1):54-63
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: PURPOSE: The influenza B virus diverges into two antigenically distinct lineages: B/Yamagata and B/Victoria. Influenza B is the dominant circulating virus during some influenza seasons, and recent data demonstrated that influenza A and B infection similarly cause severe clinical symptoms in hospitalized patients. Nucleoprotein (NP) is a good target for a universal influenza vaccine. This study investigated whether NP epitope variation within two lineages affects the dominant cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses induced by vaccination and the resultant protective immunity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The NP of B/Yamagata/16/1988, the representative strain of the Yamagata lineage, includes a dominant CTL epitope, FSPIRITFL, while B/Shangdong/7/1997 from the Victoria lineage has one amino acid difference in this sequence, FSPIRVTFL. Two recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus (rAd)-vectored vaccines expressing either NP were prepared (rAd/B-NP(I) and rAd/B-NP(V), respectively) and administered to BALB/c mice intranasally. To examine the efficacy of vaccination, antibody responses, CTL responses, and morbidity/mortality after challenge were measured. RESULTS: Both vaccines induce similar antibody and CD8 T-cell responses cross-reacting to both epitopes, and also confer cross-protection against both lineages regardless of amino acid difference. CONCLUSION: The rAd-vectored vaccine expressing the NP could be developed as universal influenza B vaccine which provides broader protection.
