Hemagglutinin Quantitative ELISA-based Potency Assay for Trivalent Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Using Group-Specific Universal Monoclonal Antibodies.

The assurance of vaccine potency is important for the timely release and distribution of influenza vaccines. As an alternative to Single Radial Immunodiffusion (SRID), we report a new quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV). The consensus hemagglutinin (cHA) stalks for group 1 influenza A virus (IAV), group 2 IAV, and influenza B virus (IBV) were designed and produced in bacterial recombinant host in a soluble form, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated. The group-specific 'universal' mAbs (uAbs) bound to various subtypes of HAs in the same group from recombinant hosts, embryonated eggs, and commercial vaccine lots. The calibration curves were generated to assess the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and linear dynamic range. The quantitative ELISA was validated for the potency assay of individual components of TIV- H1, H3, and IBV- with good correlation with the SRID method. This new assay could be extended to pandemic or pre-pandemic mock-up vaccines of H5 of group 1 and H7 virus of group 2, and novel HA stalk-based universal vaccines.

Eliciting unnatural immune responses by activating cryptic epitopes in viral antigens.

Antigenic variation in viral surface antigens is a strategy for escaping the host's adaptive immunity, whereas regions with pivotal functions for infection are less subject to antigenic variability. We hypothesized that genetically invariable and immunologically dormant regions of a viral surface antigen could be exposed to the host immune system and activated by rendering them susceptible to antigen-processing machinery in professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Considering the frequent antigen drift and shift in influenza viruses, we identified and used structural modeling to evaluate the conserved regions on the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) surface as potential epitopes. Mutant viruses containing the cleavage motifs of cathepsin S within HA were generated. Immunization of mice showed that the mutant, but not the wild-type virus, elicited specific antibodies against the cryptic epitope. Those antibodies were purified, and specific binding to HA was confirmed. These results suggest that an unnatural immune response can be elicited through the processing of target antigens in APCs, followed by presentation via the major histocompatibility complex, if not subjected to regulatory pathways. By harnessing the antigen-processing machinery, our study shows a proof-of-principle for designer vaccines with increased efficacy and safety by either activating cryptic, or inactivating naturally occurring, epitopes of viral antigens.-Lee, Y. J., Yu, J. E., Kim, P., Lee, J.-Y., Cheong, Y. C., Lee, Y. J., Chang, J., Seong, B. L. Eliciting unnatural immune responses by activating cryptic epitopes in viral antigens.