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Highlights: [•] PB2-KO virus bearing HN of HPIV3 did not replicate in normal cells. [•] PB2-KO virus bearing HN of HPIV3 elicited mucosal and systemic immunity. [•] Hamsters immunized with PB2-KO virus bearing HN of HPIV3 were protected from both influenza virus and parainfluenza virus challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination is the first line of protection against influenza virus infection in humans. Although inactivated and live-attenuated vaccines are available, each vaccine has drawbacks in terms of immunogenicity and safety. To overcome these issues, our group has developed a replication-incompetent PB2-knockout (PB2-KO) influenza virus that replicates only in PB2-expressing cells. Here we generated PB2-KO viruses possessing the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) segments from H1N1pdm09 or type B viruses and tested their vaccine potential. The two PB2-KO viruses propagated efficiently in PB2-expressing cells, and expressed chimeric HA as expected. Virus-specific IgG and IgA antibodies were detected in mice immunized with the viruses, and the immunized mice showed milder clinical signs and/or lower virus replication levels in the respiratory tract upon virus challenge. Our results indicate that these PB2-KO viruses have potential as vaccine candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because vaccination is an effective means to protect humans from influenza viruses, extensive efforts have been made to develop not only new vaccines, but also for new adjuvants to enhance the efficacy of existing inactivated vaccines. Here, we examined the adjuvanticity of synthetic hemozoin, a synthetic version of the malarial by-product hemozoin, on the vaccine efficacy of inactivated whole influenza viruses in a mouse model. We found that mice immunized twice with hemozoin-adjuvanted inactivated A/California/04/2009 (H1N1pdm09) or A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1) virus elicited higher virus-specific antibody responses than did mice immunized with non-adjuvanted counterparts. Furthermore, mice immunized with hemozoin-adjuvanted inactivated viruses were better protected from lethal challenge with influenza viruses than were mice immunized with non-adjuvanted inactivated vaccines. Our results show that hemozoin improves the immunogenicity of inactivated influenza viruses, and is thus a promising adjuvant for inactivated whole virion influenza vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses evolved into several clades, leading to appreciably distinct antigenicities of their hemagglutinins. As such, candidate H5N1 pre-pandemic vaccines for human use should be sought. Here, to evaluate fundamental immunogenic variations between H5N1 vaccines, we prepared four inactivated H5N1 test vaccines from different phylogenetic clades (clade 1, 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3.4) in accordance with the WHO recommendation, and tested their cross-clade immunity in a mouse model by vaccination followed by challenge with heterologous virulent viruses. All H5N1 vaccines tested provided full or partial cross-clade protective immunity, except one clade 2.2-based vaccine, which did not protect mice from clade 2.3.4 virus challenge. Among the test vaccines, a clade 2.1-based vaccine possessed the broadest-spectrum cross-immunity. These results suggest that currently stockpiled pre-pandemic vaccines, especially clade 2.1-based vaccines, will likely be useful as backup vaccines in a pandemic situation, even one involving antigenic-drifted viruses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]