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Avian influenza viruses of the H6 subtype are prevalent in wild ducks and likely play an important role in the ecology of influenza viruses through reassortment with other avian influenza viruses. Yet, only 152 Vietnamese H6 virus sequences were available in GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data) prior to this study with the most recent sequences being from 2018. Through surveillance in Vietnamese live bird markets from 2018 to 2021, we identified 287 samples containing one or several H6 viruses and other influenza A virus subtypes, demonstrating a high rate of co-infections among birds in Vietnamese live bird markets. For the 132 H6 samples with unique influenza virus sequences, we conducted phylogenetic and genetic analyses. Most of the H6 viruses were similar to each other and closely related to other H6 viruses; however, signs of reassortment with other avian influenza viruses were evident. At the genetic level, the Vietnamese H6 viruses characterized in our study encode a single basic amino acid at the HA cleavage site, consistent with low pathogenicity in poultry. The Vietnamese H6 viruses analyzed here possess an amino acid motif in HA that confers binding to both avian- and human-type receptors on host cells, consistent with their ability to infect mammals. The frequent detection of H6 viruses in Vietnamese live bird markets, the high rate of co-infections of birds with different influenza viruses, and the dual receptor-binding specificity of these viruses warrant their close monitoring for potential infection and spread among mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several small animal models, including mice, Syrian hamsters, guinea pigs, and ferrets are used to study the pathogenicity, transmissibility, and antigenicity of seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses. Moreover, animal models are essential for vaccination and challenge studies to evaluate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of new vaccines. However, authentic human influenza viruses do not always replicate efficiently in these animal models. Previously, we developed a high-yield A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (PR8-HY) vaccine virus backbone that conferred an increased virus yield to several seasonal influenza vaccines in eukaryotic cells and embryonated chicken eggs. Here, we show that this PR8-HY genetic backbone also increases the replication of several seasonal influenza viruses in Syrian hamsters compared to the authentic viruses. Therefore, the PR8-HY backbone is useful for animal studies to assess the biological properties of influenza viral HA and NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line is an in vitro model for influenza A virus (IAV) infection and propagation. MDCK-SIAT1 (SIAT1) and humanized MDCK (hCK) cell lines are engineered MDCK cells that express N-glycans with elevated levels of sialic acid (Sia) in α2,6-linkage (α2,6-Sia) that are recognized by many human IAVs. To characterize the N-glycan structures in these cells and the potential changes compared to the parental MDCK cell line resulting from engineering, we analyzed the N-glycans from these cells at different passages, using both mass spectrometry and specific lectin and antibody binding. We observed significant differences between the three cell lines in overall complex N-glycans and terminal galactose modifications. MDCK cells express core fucosylated, bisected complex-type N-glycans at all passage stages, in addition to expressing α2,6-Sia on short N-glycans and α2,3-Sia on larger N-glycans. By contrast, SIAT1 cells predominantly express α2,6-Sia glycans and greatly reduced level of α2,3-Sia glycans. Additionally, they express bisected, sialylated N-glycans that are scant in MDCK cells. The hCK cells exclusively express α2,6-Sia glycans. Unexpectedly, hCK glycoproteins bound robustly to the plant lectin MAL-1, indicating α2,3-Sia glycans, but such binding was not Sia-dependent and closely mirrored that of an antibody that recognizes glycans with terminal 3-O-sulfate galactose (3-O-SGal). The 3-O-SGal epitope is highly expressed in N-glycans on multiple hCK glycoproteins. These results indicate vastly different N-glycomes between MDCK cells and the engineered clones that could relate to IAV infectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In hamsters, SARS-CoV-2 infection at the same time as or before H3N2 influenza virus infection resulted in significantly reduced influenza virus titers in the lungs and nasal turbinates. This interference may be correlated with SARS-CoV-2-induced expression of MX1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post‐translational acetylation of lysine residues is found in many nonhistone proteins and is involved in a wide range of biological processes. Recently, we showed that the nucleoprotein of the influenza A virus is acetylated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs), a phenomenon that affects viral transcription. Here, we report that the PA subunit of influenza A virus RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase is acetylated by the HATs, P300/CREB‐binding protein‐associated factor (PCAF), and general control nonderepressible 5 (GCN5), resulting in accelerated endonuclease activity. Specifically, the full‐length PA subunit expressed in cultured 293T cells was found to be strongly acetylated. Moreover, the partial recombinant protein of the PA N‐terminal region containing the endonuclease domain was also acetylated by PCAF and GCN5 in vitro, which facilitated its endonuclease activity. Mass spectrometry analyses identified K19 as a candidate acetylation target in the PA N‐terminal region. Notably, the substitution of the lysine residue at position 19 with glutamine, a mimic of the acetyl‐lysine residue, enhanced its endonuclease activity in vitro; this point mutation also accelerated influenza A virus RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase activity in the cell. Our findings suggest that PA acetylation is important for the regulation of the endonuclease and RNA polymerase activities of the influenza A virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most anti-influenza drugs currently used, such as oseltamivir and zanamivir, inhibit the enzymatic activity of neuraminidase. However, neuraminidase inhibitor-resistant viruses have already been identified from various influenza virus isolates. Here, we report the development of a class of macrocyclic peptides that bind the influenza viral envelope protein hemagglutinin, named iHA. Of 28 iHAs examined, iHA-24 and iHA-100 have inhibitory effects on the in vitro replication of a wide range of Group 1 influenza viruses. In particular, iHA-100 bifunctionally inhibits hemagglutinin-mediated adsorption and membrane fusion through binding to the stalk domain of hemagglutinin. Moreover, iHA-100 shows powerful efficacy in inhibiting the growth of highly pathogenic influenza viruses and preventing severe pneumonia at later stages of infection in mouse and non-human primate cynomolgus macaque models. This study shows the potential for developing cyclic peptides that can be produced more efficiently than antibodies and have multiple functions as next-generation, mid-sized biomolecules. Here, the authors report bi-functional, wide tropic macrocycles that bind the influenza viral envelope protein hemagglutinin and inhibit virus infection by blocking adsorption and fusion and show efficacy in preventing severe pneumonia at later stages of infection in mouse and non-human primate cynomolgus macaque models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations accumulate in influenza A virus proteins, especially in the main epitopes on the virus surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA). For influenza A(H3N2) viruses, in particular, the antigenicity of their HA has altered since their emergence in 1968, requiring changes of vaccine strains every few years. Most adults have been exposed to several antigenically divergent H3N2 viruses through infection and/or vaccination, and those exposures affect the immune responses of those individuals. However, animal models reflecting this 'immune history' in humans are lacking and naïve animals are generally used for vaccination and virus challenge studies. Here, we describe a ferret model to mimic the serial exposure of humans to antigenically different historical H3HA proteins. In this model, ferrets were sequentially immunized with adjuvanted recombinant H3HA proteins from two or three different H3HA antigenic clusters in chronological order, and serum neutralizing antibody titers were examined against the homologous virus and viruses from different antigenic clusters. For ferrets immunized with a single HA antigen, serum neutralizing antibody titers were elevated specifically against the homologous virus. However, after immunization with the second or third antigenically distinct HA antigen in chronological order, the ferrets showed an increase in more broadly cross-reactive neutralizing titers against the antigenically distinct viruses and against the homologous virus. Sequentially immunized animals challenged with an antigenically advanced H3N2 virus showed attenuated virus growth and less body temperature increase compared with naïve animals. These results suggest that sequential exposure to antigenically different HAs elicits broader neutralizing activity in sera and enhances immune responses against more antigenically distinct viruses Our findings may partly explain why adults who have been exposed to antigenically divergent HAs are less likely to be infected with influenza virus and have severe symptoms than children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Updating vaccine strains is essential to control equine influenza. We evaluated the protective efficacy of an inactivated equine influenza vaccine derived from viruses generated by reverse genetics (RG) in horses in an experimental viral challenge study. Wild-type (WT) virus (A/equine/Tipperary/1/2019) and virus generated by RG (consisting of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes from A/equine/Tipperary/1/2019 and six other genes from high-growth A/Puerto Rico/8/34) were inactivated by formalin for vaccine use. Twelve 1-year-old naïve horses with no antibodies against equine influenza virus were assigned to three groups (each n = 4): control, WT, and RG. They were vaccinated twice, 4 weeks apart, and were challenged with A/equine/Tipperary/1/2019 2 weeks after the second vaccination. All four horses in the control group and one horse in the WT group had pyrexia for multiple days and respiratory illness, and one horse in the RG group had pyrexia for 2 days without respiratory illness. The mean rectal temperatures and the mean concentrations of serum amyloid A in the WT and RG groups were significantly lower than those in the control group, with no significant differences between them. The WT and RG vaccines significantly reduced viral shedding relative to the control. The protective efficacy of the RG-derived inactivated vaccine against equine influenza virus is comparable to that of the vaccine derived from WT viruses in horses. The RG technique can make it easy to update equine influenza vaccine strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Influenza A viruses barely escaped from two mAbs against the HA stem. • Escape from the third anti-HA stem mAb occurred readily. • These three mAbs share an epitope and show similar potency in vitro and in vivo. Abstract Background Broadly protective human monoclonal antibodies that recognize the conserved epitopes in the HA of influenza A virus are being developed as therapeutic agents. Emergence of resistant viruses must always be considered when developing therapeutic agents against influenza. Objectives We examined human hetero-reactive mAbs against the HA stem of influenza A virus for the ease with which escape mutant viruses emerged. Study design We attempted to generate the mutant viruses escaped from the hetero-reactive anti-HA stem antibodies. We also evaluated their protective efficacy, binding affinity, and epitopes. Results We obtained several human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that react with the HA of different HA subtypes of influenza A virus belonging to group 1. Upon attempting to generate escape mutant viruses, we found that the ease with which such viruses emerged differed among the mAbs; viruses barely escaped from two of the mAbs (clones S9-3-37 and F20C77), whereas escape from the third mAb (clone F5B7) occurred readily. Comparisons of the mAbs revealed that the HA stem epitopes, in vitro neutralization potency, binding affinity to H1-HA, and protective efficacy against lethal challenge with H1N1pdm09 virus were all comparable. Conclusions These results demonstrate the importance of determining the ease with which escape mutant viruses emerge when evaluating anti-HA stem antibodies as antiviral agents during preclinical testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]