Journal article
Cross-lineage protection by human antibodies binding the influenza B hemagglutinin
Yi Liu, Hyon-Xhi Tan, Marios Koutsakos, Sinthujan Jegaskanda, Robyn Esterbauer, Danielle Tilmanis, Malet Aban, Katherine Kedzierska, Aeron C Hurt, Stephen J Kent, Adam K Wheatley
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2019
Abstract
Influenza B viruses (IBV) drive a significant proportion of influenza-related hospitalisations yet are understudied compared to influenza A. Current vaccines target the head of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) which undergoes rapid mutation, significantly reducing vaccine effectiveness. Improved vaccines to control IBV are needed. Here we developed novel IBV HA probes to interrogate humoral responses to IBV in humans. A significant proportion of IBV HA-specific B cells recognise both B/Victoria/2/87-like and B/Yamagata/16/88-like lineages in a distinct pattern of cross-reactivity. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were reconstituted from IBV HA-specific B cells, including mAbs providing broad protect..
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Awarded by NHMRC programme
Awarded by NHMRC
Funding Acknowledgements
We thank all study participants and the Melbourne Cytometry Platform (MBC node) for expert flow cytometry assistance. This work was supported by NHMRC programme grant ID1052979 (SJK), NHMRC project grant ID1129099 (AKW) and Proof-of-Concept Initiative funding co-provided by the University of Melbourne and Sanofi Pasteur. YL and MK are supported by a Melbourne International Research Scholarship and Melbourne International Fee Remission Scholarship. KK was supported by a NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship Level B. World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Reference Research on Influenza is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health.