Identification of antibodies targeting the H3N2 hemagglutinin receptor binding site following vaccination of humans

0 views • Oct 29, 2021
0
Save
Cite
Share

Author(s)

Author Name

Seth J. Zost

Juhye Lee

Published 2 Projects

Microbiology

Megan E. Gumina

Published 1 Project

Microbiology

Kaela Parkhouse

Published 1 Project

Microbiology

Carole Henry

Scott E Hensley

Published 4 Projects

Immunology Microbiology

Add New Author

Antibodies targeting the receptor binding site (RBS) of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) protein are usually not broadly-reactive because their footprints are typically large and extend to nearby variable HA residues. Here, we identified several human H3N2 HA RBS-targeting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that were sensitive to substitutions in conventional antigenic sites and were not broadly-reactive. However, we also identified one H3N2 HA RBS-targeting mAb that was exceptionally broadly reactive despite being sensitive to substitutions in residues outside of the RBS. We determined that similar antibodies are present at measurable levels in the sera of some individuals but that they are inefficiently elicited by conventional vaccines. Our data indicate that some HA RBS-targeting antibodies can be surprisingly effective against variable viral strains even if they are somewhat sensitive to substitutions in HA residues adjacent to the RBS.

Microbiology
Microbiology 111 Projects