 |
|
Scientists create first successful libraries of avian flu virus antibodies
April 15, 2008An international group of American and Turkish research scientists, led by Sea Lane Biotechnologies, has created the first comprehensive monoclonal antibody libraries against avian influenza (H5N1) using samples from survivors of the 2005/2006 "bird flu" outbreak in Turkey. These antibody libraries hold the promise for developing a therapy that could stop a pandemic in its tracks and provide treatment to those infected, as well as potentially pointing the way towards the development of a universal flu vaccine. The expanded treatment and containment options offered by Sea Lane's antibody libraries could help provide healthcare officials, researchers, and governments with unprecedented resources to combat this serious global health threat.
"Three global influenza pandemics have occurred within the past 100 years, each with devastating consequences," said Richard A. Lerner, the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Immunochemistry at, and President of, the Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, CA) who collaborated with Sea Lane on the study. "Our study holds out the hope that a new outbreak could potentially be stopped at an early stage, and that effective treatment could be available to those infected."
The study is being published in this week's Early Edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Libraries Have Yielded More Than 300 Antibodies Active Against Avian Influenza
So far, the new antibody libraries reported in the study have yielded more than 300 unique monoclonal antibodies that are active against H5N1 antigens-foreign substances that produce an immune system response. From this group, the authors identified several broadly neutralizing antibodies that were effective against a number of contemporary subtypes of H5 (avian) flu.
Moving Towards A Universal Influenza Vaccine
The new research reported here suggests that the antibodies recovered from the avian flu survivors may point to an exploitable weak spot in the virus, offering the tantalizing possibility that a "universal" vaccine against all strains might be made.
Remarkably, three of the more than 300 antibodies catalogued have been found to neutralize both the H1 (common seasonal flu) and H5 (avian) subtypes. "The antibodies we have isolated have the potential to be used directly as therapeutic agents against multiple influenza subtypes, permitting the resolution of infection upon administration to an infected individual," said Peter Palese, the Horace W. Goldsmith Professor & Chairman of Microbiology at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, NY), another collaborator on the project.
"Perhaps most importantly, these antibodies may be used to identify cross-reactive epitopes on the hemagglutinin protein of an influenza virus. Identification of such epitopes may allow the rational design of vaccines with cross-subtype neutralizing activity. Such vaccines would constitute a major advance on current technology, and would be a first step towards the design of a universal influenza vaccine," noted Palese.
Preventing The Worst-Case Scenario - Another Global Influenza Pandemic
Human infection with the avian flu virus H5N1 was first reported in 1997. Since 2003, according to the World Health Organization, more than 370 confirmed cases of human infection have been reported in 14 countries.
While overwhelmingly confined to bird populations in Asia and Europe, the H5N1 avian flu virus has shown its ability to infect humans and has killed more than 230 people around the world. Epidemiologists remain concerned that the virus will one day mutate and be able to spread more readily between people, sparking a global pandemic. The 1918-1920 Spanish flu, which shows evidence of originating in birds, killed somewhere between 40 and 100 million people.
The antibodies recovered from these H5N1 survivor libraries, described in the report, provide opportunities for passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies that could help future individuals infected with H5N1 successfully overcome infection. Monoclonal antibody therapy is known as passive immunotherapy because patients are treated with antibodies that were made outside of their own immune systems instead of those actively made internally.
The potential for passive immunization against influenza has been evident since the Spanish influenza pandemic nearly a century ago, where the benefits of transfused blood reduced the risk of mortality by more than 50 percent. Additionally, the benefits of treatment with convalescent plasma have begun to be reported in instances of H5N1, while passive immunization with human and mouse monoclonal antibodies have been shown to protect animals from death, even when given after H5N1 infection.
Offers Additional Therapeutic Potential
"The antibodies we recovered from Turkey have important and broad potential," said Michael Horowitz, Chief Operating Officer for Sea Lane. "They could lead the way to providing significant protection against a broad reach of influenza-perhaps as protection to first responders and those at immediate risk, and then as treatment for those infected."
According to Ramesh Bhatt, Vice President for Research at Sea Lane, "The combination of the team's innovative antibody library techniques and tremendous scientific rigor enabled the recovery of this extensive collection of antibodies from the avian flu survivors. Because of the large number of antibodies obtained, we were able to perform a detailed immunochemical analysis of these survivors' antibody solutions against avian influenza virus during an actual outbreak."
The resulting antibody libraries-collections of genetic antibody material-were not dependent on whether an important antibody was being produced by the body at the time of the sample collection. Instead, the scientists were able to obtain the entire immunologic history of an individual's response, which offered a clearer picture of the relationships between antibodies and their relative effectiveness. These insights may help scientists determine prescient strategies for therapies as the virus mutates in the future.
"Our libraries create a roadmap for improving the efficacy and/or specificity of therapeutic influenza antibodies," Arun Kashyap, Director of Influenza and Antibody Libraries for Sea Lane said. "As a result, we might be able to engineer the best features of different antibodies into a single antibody that may not only treat contemporary strains of influenza, but also future influenza strains which normally would escape through simple mutations."
Innovative Research Driven by International Effort
"None of this research could have been accomplished without the participation of the Turkish scientists who were responsible for the processes for collection of the bone marrow and their shipment to the laboratories in the United States preserved in a way that made recovery of the antibodies possible. This shows the value of international cooperation in basic scientific research," said Lawrence Horowitz, CEO of Sea Lane. "Infectious diseases know no national boundaries and treatments will only be developed if the pooled efforts of all scientists are harnessed, regardless of where they happen to reside."
Scripps Research Institute
Libraries Have Yielded More Than 300 Antibodies Active Against Avian Influenza
So far, the new antibody libraries reported in the study have yielded more than 300 unique monoclonal antibodies that are active against H5N1 antigens-foreign substances that produce an immune system response. From this group, the authors identified several broadly neutralizing antibodies that were effective against a number of contemporary subtypes of H5 (avian) flu.
Moving Towards A Universal Influenza Vaccine
The new research reported here suggests that the antibodies recovered from the avian flu survivors may point to an exploitable weak spot in the virus, offering the tantalizing possibility that a "universal" vaccine against all strains might be made.
Remarkably, three of the more than 300 antibodies catalogued have been found to neutralize both the H1 (common seasonal flu) and H5 (avian) subtypes. "The antibodies we have isolated have the potential to be used directly as therapeutic agents against multiple influenza subtypes, permitting the resolution of infection upon administration to an infected individual," said Peter Palese, the Horace W. Goldsmith Professor & Chairman of Microbiology at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, NY), another collaborator on the project.
"Perhaps most importantly, these antibodies may be used to identify cross-reactive epitopes on the hemagglutinin protein of an influenza virus. Identification of such epitopes may allow the rational design of vaccines with cross-subtype neutralizing activity. Such vaccines would constitute a major advance on current technology, and would be a first step towards the design of a universal influenza vaccine," noted Palese.
Preventing The Worst-Case Scenario - Another Global Influenza Pandemic
Human infection with the avian flu virus H5N1 was first reported in 1997. Since 2003, according to the World Health Organization, more than 370 confirmed cases of human infection have been reported in 14 countries.
While overwhelmingly confined to bird populations in Asia and Europe, the H5N1 avian flu virus has shown its ability to infect humans and has killed more than 230 people around the world. Epidemiologists remain concerned that the virus will one day mutate and be able to spread more readily between people, sparking a global pandemic. The 1918-1920 Spanish flu, which shows evidence of originating in birds, killed somewhere between 40 and 100 million people.
The antibodies recovered from these H5N1 survivor libraries, described in the report, provide opportunities for passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies that could help future individuals infected with H5N1 successfully overcome infection. Monoclonal antibody therapy is known as passive immunotherapy because patients are treated with antibodies that were made outside of their own immune systems instead of those actively made internally.
The potential for passive immunization against influenza has been evident since the Spanish influenza pandemic nearly a century ago, where the benefits of transfused blood reduced the risk of mortality by more than 50 percent. Additionally, the benefits of treatment with convalescent plasma have begun to be reported in instances of H5N1, while passive immunization with human and mouse monoclonal antibodies have been shown to protect animals from death, even when given after H5N1 infection.
Offers Additional Therapeutic Potential
"The antibodies we recovered from Turkey have important and broad potential," said Michael Horowitz, Chief Operating Officer for Sea Lane. "They could lead the way to providing significant protection against a broad reach of influenza-perhaps as protection to first responders and those at immediate risk, and then as treatment for those infected."
According to Ramesh Bhatt, Vice President for Research at Sea Lane, "The combination of the team's innovative antibody library techniques and tremendous scientific rigor enabled the recovery of this extensive collection of antibodies from the avian flu survivors. Because of the large number of antibodies obtained, we were able to perform a detailed immunochemical analysis of these survivors' antibody solutions against avian influenza virus during an actual outbreak."
The resulting antibody libraries-collections of genetic antibody material-were not dependent on whether an important antibody was being produced by the body at the time of the sample collection. Instead, the scientists were able to obtain the entire immunologic history of an individual's response, which offered a clearer picture of the relationships between antibodies and their relative effectiveness. These insights may help scientists determine prescient strategies for therapies as the virus mutates in the future.
"Our libraries create a roadmap for improving the efficacy and/or specificity of therapeutic influenza antibodies," Arun Kashyap, Director of Influenza and Antibody Libraries for Sea Lane said. "As a result, we might be able to engineer the best features of different antibodies into a single antibody that may not only treat contemporary strains of influenza, but also future influenza strains which normally would escape through simple mutations."
Innovative Research Driven by International Effort
"None of this research could have been accomplished without the participation of the Turkish scientists who were responsible for the processes for collection of the bone marrow and their shipment to the laboratories in the United States preserved in a way that made recovery of the antibodies possible. This shows the value of international cooperation in basic scientific research," said Lawrence Horowitz, CEO of Sea Lane. "Infectious diseases know no national boundaries and treatments will only be developed if the pooled efforts of all scientists are harnessed, regardless of where they happen to reside."
Scripps Research Institute
Influenza Current Events and Influenza News RSSAmid the flu epidemic, don't forget RSV in young children
Influenza, particularly H1N1, has understandably captured the attention of public health officials, the media and the public.
Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive
A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic."
Asthma a significant risk factor for complications in children with H1N1
A new study on pediatric H1N1 influenza admissions has found that asthma is a significant risk factor for severe disease in children with pandemic H1N1 compared with the seasonal flu.
Preventing H1N1 spread to health care workers: Dilemma, debate and confusion
A commentary in the December issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases brings to light the gaps in knowledge on the transmission of a common pathogen - the influenza virus - and its impact on decisions about how best to protect health care workers.
New culprit for viral infections among elderly -- an overactive immune response
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found that exaggerated responses of the immune system explain why the elderly succumb to viral infections more readily than younger people.
New research helps explain why bird flu has not caused a pandemic
Bird flu viruses would have to make at least two simultaneous genetic mutations before they could be transmitted readily from human to human, according to research published today in PLoS ONE.
Mechanical ventilation for patients with lung damage don't always work as planned
As more Canadians are diagnosed with H1N1 influenza infection, some will be admitted to hospital. The most severely affected may be treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) and placed on a mechanical ventilator to help them breathe while they recover from the infection.
Researchers mobilizing global resources to test new treatments for severe H1N1 infection
An important, ground-breaking initiative is unfolding in the global critical care community in response to the H1N1 pandemic.
Worksite wellness programs may reduce employee absenteeism
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health researchers will present Nov. 11 on a range of topics at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting in Philadelphia, including a study that found reduced absenteeism among employees participating in a large-scale worksite wellness program.
U.S. and European Experts Applaud Creation of New Transatlantic Task Force on Global Antibiotic Resistance Threat
Experts on both sides of the Atlantic applaud President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide.
More Influenza Current Events and Influenza News Articles
 |
The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history by John M. Barry (Author) At the height of WWI, history’s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease. Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research and now revised to reflect the growing danger of the avian flu, The Great Influenza is ultimately a tale of triumph amid tragedy, which provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon. John M. Barry has written a new ... |
 |
A Cruel Wind: Pandemic Flu in America 1918-1920 by Dorothy A. Pettit (Author) The flu pandemic that began in 1918 touched with illness virtually every family in America. It was a devastating time, far overshadowing the carnage of World War I as the pandemic killed more people in less time than any disease before or since. With 25% to 30% of the worlds population having clinically apparent illnesses and a mortality rate of 2.5% - 5%, it is believed that more than 675,000 Americans were among the 50-100 million that died worldwide. Because many experts believe that it is not a matter of if the world will encounter another 1918-like flu pandemic, but when, this social history of the pandemic should be considered essential reading for students, public health officials, doctors, nurses, journalists, and those in government office, interested in learning what workedand... |
 |
Flu : The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic by Gina Kolata (Author) A scientific history of the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918, which killed at least 40 million people. The author details the science and latest understanding of flu, examines the chances of a great epidemic recurring and explores what can be done to prevent it. |
 |
Flu: A Social History of Influenza by Tom Quinn (Author) It may sound innocuous compared to war, plague and famine, but flu is in fact one of the world's biggest killers. Strains of the virus are always in circulation but every so often a new and particularly virulent one comes along, to which we have no historic immunity - when that happens the consequences are devastating. This fascinating book explores the havoc caused by the world's most deadly virus - and the destruction left in its wake. From its initial identification by the Greek physician Hippocrates in the 4th century BC to the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 and beyond, Tom Quinn explores the social, medical and scientific ramifications of the major outbreaks that have occurred over the centuries - and the potential consequences should such a pandemic occur in the modern world, an event... |
 |
Influenza Virology: Current Topics by Yoshihiro Kawaoka (Author) |
 |
America's Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918 by Alfred W. Crosby (Author) Between August 1918 and March 1919 the Spanish influenza spread worldwide, claiming over 25 million lives, more people than those perished in the fighting of the First World War. It proved fatal to at least a half-million Americans. Yet, the Spanish flu pandemic is largely forgotten today. In this vivid narrative, Alfred W. Crosby recounts the course of the pandemic during the panic-stricken months of 1918 and 1919, measures its impact on American society, and probes the curious loss of national memory of this cataclysmic event. In a new edition, with a new preface discussing the recent outbreaks of diseases, including the Asian flu and the SARS epidemic, America's Forgotten Pandemic remains both prescient and relevant. Alfred W. Crosby is a Professor Emeritus in American Studies,... |
 |
American Experience - Influenza 1918 Starring: David McCullough, David Ogden Stiers, Joe Morton, Liev Schreiber, Linda Hunt Also With: Katy Mostoller (Producer), Michael Rossi (Producer), Rocky Collins (Producer), Rocky Collins (Writer), Tracy Heather Strain (Producer), Henry Hampton (Writer) As the nation mobilized for war in the spring of 1918, ailing Private Albert Gitchell reported to an army hospital in Kansas. He was diagnosed with the flu, a disease about which doctors knew little. Before the year was out, America would be ravaged by a flu epidemic that killed 675,000 people--more than died in all the wars of this century combined--before disappearing as mysteriously as it began. |
 |
The Devil's Flu: The World's Deadliest Influenza Epidemic and the Scientific Hunt for the Virus That Caused It by Pete Davies (Author) A gripping account of the 1918 flu pandemic and the modern-day hunt for this elusive and deadly virus In 1918, a flu virus more lethal than any that has come along since swept through the world, from the remotest villages in Arctic climates to crowded U.S.cities to the battlefields of Europe, killing forty million people. Yet, despite its devastating toll and the probability that other deadly pandemics await on the horizon, it was relegated to a footnote in history. The Devil's Flu is the extraordinary story of 1918's forgotten tragedy and of the global scientific community's effort to avert another such disaster. The 1918 flu still so intrigues and frightens experts in the field that in 1998, a group of respected scientists journeyed to the Norwegian Arctic Circle in search... |
 |
Rapid Reference to Influenza by Jan Wilschut (Author), Janet Mcelhaney (Author), Abraham Palache (Author) Provides the reader with authoritative and accessible information on the subject of influenza. Clearly written by key experts in the field and highly illustrated in full colour, the book provides an overview of influenza, its pathogenesis, epidemiology, the burden of disease and its health economics. Rapid Reference Influenza also summarises available information on the molecular biology of influenza and the emergence of new influenza viruses. Completely updated with the latest information on H5N1, the book aims to contribute to international efforts to emphasize the major burden of influenza and the need for better control. * Expert information succinctly written for ease of use. * Abundant use of bulleted lists and short tables, for quick access to comparative information. * Presents... |
 |
Pandemic Influenza: Emergency Planning and Community Preparedness by Jeffrey R. Ryan (Editor) The swine flu emergency needn’t become a crisis. This critically acclaimed work provides public health officials, doctors, responders, and emergency planners with accurate current information that will help them understand the nature of an outbreak, assess risk, answer public concerns, and develop informed strategies. Devoid of sensationalism and agenda, this CRC Press resource provides all the information needed to understand pandemic influenzas including, avian, swine, and human variations and outlines the steps needed to develop and implement prevention, stabilization, and recovery efforts as needed at the local level. ... an amazing resource ... Dr. Ryan has assembled some of the best experts in the field to guide you in understanding... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |