Researchers found that older adults exposed to seasonal flu viruses before 1968 have higher antibodies against the H5N1 avian flu virus. In contrast, young children who were not exposed had low levels of antibodies that could fight H5N1. The study suggests that younger adults and children would benefit more from H5N1 vaccinations.
SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 13, 2025
Researchers discovered a single mutation in the H5N1 virus that improves its ability to attach to human cells, potentially making it easier for humans to become infected. The study's findings stress the importance of continued genomic surveillance and public health preparedness to monitor potential genetic changes.
SourceNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases·JournalScience·DateDec 6, 2024
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Researchers at Duke University have developed a new vaccine strategy that targets the portion of the flu virus surface with less variability, aiming for universal and long-lasting protection. The experimental vaccine elicits an immune response focused on the stalk region, which remains consistent despite viral mutations.
SourceDuke University·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 1, 2024
Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found a link between hemagglutinin protein stability and flu vaccine effectiveness, as well as pandemic potential in new strains. Incorporating this stability into the vaccine could prevent the emergence of unstable viruses.
SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 29, 2023
Researchers found that reduced NA activity enables HA mutations to become more neutral, and that this process is crucial for predicting future flu strains. The study aims to improve flu vaccine accuracy by understanding the interactions between HA and NA genes.
SourceCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign·JournalCell Host & Microbe·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 18, 2022
Scientists at UC San Diego create nanoparticles that mimic the flu virus's ability to escape endosomes, enabling efficient delivery of mRNA into cells. This breakthrough could lead to improved delivery of mRNA vaccines and therapies.
SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 30, 2021
Researchers at the University of Arkansas are working on developing a computational framework for creating novel vaccines and therapeutics against the flu. By modeling the critical hemagglutinin protein, they aim to understand how it interacts with human cells and develop strategies to inhibit its activation mechanism.
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Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered that antibodies targeting the hemagglutinin protein on influenza viruses also inhibit the neuraminidase enzyme. This inhibition enhances antibody neutralization and activation of innate immune cells with anti-viral activity. The study suggests a promising approach for uni...
SourceRockefeller University Press·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateJan 25, 2019
The new test kit, developed with licensed monoclonal antibodies from the US FDA, offers a rapid and sensitive potency assay for dose-sparing and adjuvanted flu vaccines. This enables a faster vaccine response in severe outbreaks or pandemics, addressing the need for speed in combating deadly avian H7N9 viruses.
New research published in PLOS Pathogens reveals that certain flu virus mutations can restore fitness by adding a new sugar molecule to the hemagglutinin, enabling Goldilocks binding to the host cell. This understanding improves efforts to design more effective flu vaccines.
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A study co-led by the University of Arizona found that a person's birth year can predict their odds of getting seriously ill in an outbreak of animal-origin influenza virus. This 'immunological imprinting' effect provides clues for developing a universal flu vaccine.
A new approach predicts the antigenic evolution of circulating influenza viruses, enabling a closer match for vaccine viruses and potentially improving vaccine effectiveness. The method identifies clusters of viruses featuring novel mutations, which can predict the molecular characteristics of next seasonal influenza virus.
SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalNature Microbiology·DateMay 23, 2016
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists identified a molecular property of the hemagglutinin protein that contributed to the emergence of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus. The study found that the adaptation increased the protein's stability in acidic conditions, allowing airborne transmission.
SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 25, 2016
Researchers create a virus-like particle vaccine cocktail that expresses different subtypes of the hemagglutinin protein, providing cross-protective immunity against multiple subtypes. The study shows that 95% of mice vaccinated with the investigational cocktail were protected against eight different influenza strains.
SourceAmerican Society for Microbiology·JournalmBio·DateJul 21, 2015
A recent MIT study suggests the swine flu strain in India has acquired mutations that make it more deadly, contradicting previous reports. The researchers stress the need for better surveillance to track the outbreak and develop an effective response strategy.
SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalCell Host & Microbe·DateMar 11, 2015
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A study found that flu viruses expressing specific avian hemagglutinins led to fatal infections in mice and caused significant cell damage in human lung cells. These findings suggest that certain hemagglutinins may induce programmed cell death, leading to enhanced disease severity.
SourceAmerican Society for Microbiology·JournalmBio·DateNov 18, 2014
A new strategy for generating broadly cross-reactive antibodies has been developed against the H5N1 flu virus. Researchers found that human volunteers immunized with the H5N1 virus generated antibodies against the stem region of the viral hemagglutinin protein, which could provide protection against a variety of flu strains.
SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 25, 2014
The study reveals how hemagglutinin protein reconfigures itself as it infects host cells, providing new insights into the path of the flu virus. This understanding could lead to the development of a universal flu vaccine that lasts a lifetime.
SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 31, 2014
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered a common food additive that can block a deadly new strain of avian influenza virus from infecting healthy cells. The compound, tert-butyl hydroquinone, targets a previously untapped region of the flu virus called hemagglutinin.
SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalPLOS ONE·DateOct 23, 2013
A single mutation in H5N1 avian influenza virus makes it more infective in mammals, while reducing its ability to infect ducks. The study's findings provide new insights into viral determinants of influenza virus virulence and suggest a lower pH optimum for hemagglutinin activation favors mammalian infection.
SourceAmerican Society for Microbiology·JournalJournal of Virology·DateFeb 28, 2013
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Researchers created broad-spectrum antiviral agents against various flu virus strains by engineering proteins found in nature, binding to specific nano-sized targets. This method has the potential to develop comprehensive therapy for influenza, targeting hemagglutinin molecules and preventing viral infection.
SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateJun 1, 2012
Researchers have discovered an antibody that can neutralize a broad range of flu strains, potentially reducing the need for annual vaccinations. The antibody, called CH65, mimics key aspects of the influenza virus's entry point and could guide the development of vaccines targeting multiple strains.
SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 8, 2011
Researchers designed two new protein molecules that can target specific surfaces of flu virus molecules, blocking viral replication. The study's findings suggest the potential for novel antiviral therapies against multiple influenza subtypes.
SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalScience·DateMay 13, 2011
Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered a new method to treat the flu by targeting two critical parts of the virus, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). This approach has shown strong binding potential to both H and N, offering hope for future flu drugs.
SourceRensselaer Polytechnic Institute·JournalEuropean Journal of Organic Chemistry·DateMay 19, 2009
A new influenza vaccine developed using insect cells can produce a strong immune response in humans and may be scaled up for commercial manufacture. This rapid method uses a purified concentration of hemagglutinin to elicit an immune response against specific flu strains.
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The researchers solved the structure of the hemagglutinin protein, a crucial component in understanding the 1918 flu outbreak. The study reveals that the virus likely originated from birds and its unique surface proteins made it particularly deadly to young adults.
SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalScience·DateFeb 5, 2004
The study found that subtle alterations in the influenza virus's infectivity led to its deadly spread. The researchers determined that a key contributor was the hemagglutinin protein, which allowed the virus to bind to human receptors in an antigenically favorable way.
SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalScience·DateFeb 5, 2004
The study, published in the EMBO Journal, shows that viral tails play a crucial role in controlling the shape and formation of new viral particles. The research demonstrates the importance of these protein parts in the development of the virus.