HA stabilization promotes replication and transmission of swine H1N1 gamma influenza viruses in ferrets

Autor: Meng Hu, Guohua Yang, Jennifer DeBeauchamp, Jeri Carol Crumpton, Hyunsuh Kim, Lei Li, Xiu-Feng Wan, Lisa Kercher, Andrew S Bowman, Robert G Webster, Richard J Webby, Charles J Russell
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: eLife, Vol 9 (2020)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2050-084X
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.56236
Popis: Pandemic influenza A viruses can emerge from swine, an intermediate host that supports adaptation of human-preferred receptor-binding specificity by the hemagglutinin (HA) surface antigen. Other HA traits necessary for pandemic potential are poorly understood. For swine influenza viruses isolated in 2009–2016, gamma-clade viruses had less stable HA proteins (activation pH 5.5–5.9) than pandemic clade (pH 5.0–5.5). Gamma-clade viruses replicated to higher levels in mammalian cells than pandemic clade. In ferrets, a model for human adaptation, a relatively stable HA protein (pH 5.5–5.6) was necessary for efficient replication and airborne transmission. The overall airborne transmission frequency in ferrets for four isolates tested was 42%, and isolate G15 airborne transmitted 100% after selection of a variant with a stabilized HA. The results suggest swine influenza viruses containing both a stabilized HA and alpha-2,6 receptor binding in tandem pose greater pandemic risk. Increasing evidence supports adding HA stability to pre-pandemic risk assessment algorithms.
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