Broad and Protective Influenza B Virus Neuraminidase Antibodies in Humans after Vaccination and their Clonal Persistence as Plasma Cells
Abstract
Influenza virus infections continue to cause substantial morbidity and mortality despite the availability of seasonal vaccines. The extensive genetic variability in seasonal and potentially pandemic influenza strains necessitates new vaccine strategies that can induce universal protection by focusing the immune response on generating protective antibodies against conserved targets such as regions within the influenza neuraminidase protein. We have demonstrated that seasonal immunization stimulates neuraminidase-specific antibodies in humans that are broad and potent in their protection from influenza B virus when tested in mice. These antibodies further persist in the bone marrow, where they are expressed by long-lived antibody-producing cells, referred to here as plasma cells. The significance in our research is the demonstration that seasonal influenza immunization can induce a subset of neuraminidase-specific B cells with broad protective potential, a process that if further studied and enhanced could aid in the development of a universal influenza vaccine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 30, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1128/mbio.00066-19
Entities
People
- Aitor Nogales
- Alexander F. Rosenberg
- Christopher F. Fucile
- James J. Kobie
- Jane L. Liesveld
- Luis Martinez-Sobrido
- Madhubanti Basu
- Michael C. Keefer
- Michael S. Piepenbrink
Organizations
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- National Institutes of Health
- United States Department of Defense
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of Rochester