Universal influenza B vaccine induces broad and sustained protection, biomedical science researchers find

ATLANTA—A new universal flu vaccine protects against the influenza B virus, offers broad defense against different strains and enhances immune protection, according to a new study by researchers at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences.

The double-coated protein nanoparticle vaccine, prepared with a stable moiety of the influenza virus (stem hemagglutinin (HA), induces a broad reactive immune response and provides strong and sustained cross-protection against influenza B virus strains of both lineages. The findings are published in the journal. Biomaterials.

Influenza epidemics pose a major threat to public health, and influenza type B coincides with several severe flu outbreaks. About a quarter of clinical infections are caused by the influenza B virus each year. Influenza B viruses are sometimes the dominant strain circulating during influenza season, such as the 2019-20 US flu season when influenza B caused more than 50 percent of infections.

Influenza B has two genetically distinct lineages and triggers different immune responses. Seasonal flu vaccines are developed with one or both of the influenza B virus lineages, but are limited by the ability of circulating strains to escape the immune system or vaccination. These vaccines are often ineffective because a variable portion of the influenza virus (HA head) develops. As a result, the seasonal influenza vaccine needs to be reformulated and updated frequently. To overcome these limitations, universal influenza vaccines containing conserved viral portions and providing substantial broad cross-protection against various viral strains are urgently needed.

“In this study, we generated a structure-stabilized HA stalk antigen from influenza B and fabricated a double-coated protein nanoparticle as a candidate for a universal influenza B vaccine,” said Dr. Baozhong Wang, senior author of the study and Distinguished University Professor at the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University. “We found that layered protein nanoparticles coupled with structure-stabilized constant antigens have potential as a universal influenza vaccine with better potency and breadth of immune protection.”

The nanoparticle vaccine was tested in cell culture and in mice. Studies in cell culture found protein nanoparticles were effectively taken up to activate dendritic cells, which are critical for inducing protective immune responses against pathogens. The vaccine was found to be safe, biocompatible, biodegradable and highly immunogenic in animals.

“Our next goal is to combine the influenza A nanoparticles from our previous study with the influenza B nanoparticles we have created and tested here to create a multivalent universal influenza nanoparticle vaccine against influenza A and B,” said Wang.

The study’s co-authors included Yufeng Song (first author), Wandi Zhu, Ye Wang, Lei Deng, Yao Ma, Chunhong Dong, Gilbert X. Gonzalez, Joo Kim, Lai Wei, Sang-Moo Kang and Bao-Zhong Wang of the Inflammation Center. , Immunity & Infection at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences in the State of Georgia. Deng is also affiliated with Hunan University in Changsha, China.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

To read the study, visit https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121664.

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