Influenza vaccines based on virus-like particles

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Sang-Moo Kang, Emory University; Jae-Min Song, Emory University; Fu-Shi Quan, Emory University; Richard W Compans, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2009-08
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2009.04.005
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Virus Research
• ISSN: 0168-1702
• Volume: 143
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 140
• End Page: 146
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by NIH/NIAID grant AI0680003 (R.W.C.); National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Extramural Activities : NIAID
• Keywords: vaccine; virus-like particles; Influenza
• Research Categories: Biology, Virology; Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

The simultaneous expression of structural proteins of virus can produce virus-like particles (VLPs) by a self-assembly process in a viral life cycle even in the absence of genomic material. Taking an advantage of structural and morphological similarities of VLPs to native virions, VLPs have been suggested as a promising platform for new viral vaccines. In the light of a pandemic threat, influenza VLPs have been recently developed as a new generation of non-egg based cell culture-derived vaccine candidates against influenza infection. Animals vaccinated with VLPs containing hemagglutinin (HA) or HA and neuraminidase (NA) were protected from morbidity and mortality resulting from lethal influenza infections. Influenza VLPs serve as an excellent model system of an enveloped virus for understanding the properties of VLPs in inducing protective immunity. In this review, we briefly describe the characteristics of influenza VLPs assembled with a lipid bilayer containing glycoproteins, and summarize the current progress on influenza VLPs as an alternative vaccine candidate against seasonal as well as pandemic influenza viruses. In addition, the protective immune correlates induced by vaccination with influenza VLPs are discussed.