98%
921
2 minutes
20
Hemagglutinin (HA) stem-based vaccines have limitations in providing broad and effective protection against cross-group influenza viruses, despite being a promising universal vaccine target. To overcome the limited cross-protection and low efficacy by HA stem vaccination, we genetically engineered a chimeric conjugate of thermostable H1 HA stem and highly conserved M2e repeat (M2e-H1stem), which was expressed at high yields in M2e-H1stem protein presented native-like epitopes reactive to antisera of live virus infection. M2e-H1stem protein vaccination of mice induced strong M2e- and HA stem-specific immune responses, conferring broadly effective cross-protection against both antigenically distinct group 1 (H1N1, H5N1, and H9N2 subtypes) and group 2 (H3N2 and H7N9 subtypes) seasonal and pandemic potential influenza viruses. M2e-H1stem vaccination generated CD4 and CD8 T cell responses and antibody-dependent cytotoxic cellular and humoral immunity, which contributed to enhancing cross-protection. Furthermore, comparable broad cross-group protection was observed in older aged mice after M2e-H1stem vaccination. This study provides evidence warranting further development of chimeric M2e-stem proteins as a promising universal influenza vaccine candidate in adult and aged populations.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9198381 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.omtm.2022.05.007 | DOI Listing |
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
September 2025
Oslo Economics, Oslo, Norway.
Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is recognized as the primary cause of hospitalizations among children with lower respiratory tract infections in developed countries, placing a significant burden on both patients and healthcare systems. The efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of maternal vaccination with the novel RSVpreF vaccine have been evaluated in a Phase III clinical trial, showing a decreased risk of severe infection in infants. Our study assesses the cost-effectiveness of the RSVpreF vaccine and seasonal variation of costs in a Norwegian setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochem Biophys Res Commun
September 2025
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China; Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandon
Disulfiram (DSF), an FDA-approved therapeutic agent for alcohol dependence, has recently attracted considerable interest due to its broad-spectrum inhibitory effects against various viruses. Increasing evidence suggests that DSF can inhibit viral replication through two major mechanisms: the inhibition of viral protein catalytic activity and the ejection of Zn from viral proteins. This review comprehensively summarized the molecular mechanisms underlying DSF's antiviral activity against viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), hepatitis C virus (HCV), influenza virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV), with a particular focus on its dual targeting of Cys residues and Zn coordination sites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Infect Public Health
September 2025
Department of Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 82911, Saudi Arabia; School of Medicine, Universidad Espiritu Santo, Samborondon 091952, Ecuador. Electronic address:
Introduction: Hajj is the largest annual mass gathering in the world, attracting more than 2 million pilgrims from 184 countries. Adverse climatic conditions and close proximity of pilgrims during Hajj rituals create a facilitating environment for the transmission of infectious agents, including multi-drug resistant organisms. Although, several individual reports have been published on specific type of infections, there is a paucity of published work reflecting the overall picture of the prevalence of pathogenic infections during Hajj.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMed Sci Monit
September 2025
Departament of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Hygiene - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
BACKGROUND The SENTINEL influenza surveillance system has been used in Poland since 2004, incorporating both epidemiological and virological monitoring of influenza viruses. SENTINEL works in cooperation with general practitioners, 16 Voivodship Sanitary Epidemiological Stations (VSES), and the National Influenza Centre (NIC). NON-SENTINEL samples are collected from places that do not participate in the SENTINEL program.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnderstanding the transmission routes of high-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) is crucial for developing effective control measures to prevent its spread. In this context, windborne transmission, the idea that the virus could travel through the air over considerable distances, is a contentious concept, and documented cases have been rare. Here, though, we provide genetic evidence supporting the feasibility of windborne transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF