Experimental adaptation of an influenza H5 HA confers respiratory droplet transmission to a reassortant H5 HA/H1N1 virus in ferrets

Highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza A viruses occasionally infect humans, but currently do not transmit efficiently among humans. The viral haemagglutinin (HA) protein is a known host-range determinant as it mediates virus binding to host-specific cellular receptors. Here we assess the molecular changes in HA that would allow a virus possessing subtype H5 HA to be transmissible among mammals. We identified a reassortant H5 HA/H1N1 virus-comprising H5 HA (from an H5N1 virus) with four mutations and the remaining seven gene segments from a 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus-that was capable of droplet transmission in a ferret model. The transmissible H5 reassortant virus preferentially recognized human-type receptors, replicated efficiently in ferrets, caused lung lesions and weight loss, but was not highly pathogenic and did not cause mortality. These results indicate that H5 HA can convert to an HA that supports efficient viral transmission in mammals; however, we do not know whether the four mutations in the H5 HA identified here would render a wholly avian H5N1 virus transmissible. The genetic origin of the remaining seven viral gene segments may also critically contribute to transmissibility in mammals. Nevertheless, as H5N1 viruses continue to evolve and infect humans, receptor-binding variants of H5N1 viruses with pandemic potential, including avian-human reassortant viruses as tested here, may emerge. Our findings emphasize the need to prepare for potential pandemics caused by influenza viruses possessing H5 HA, and will help individuals conducting surveillance in regions with circulating H5N1 viruses to recognize key residues that predict the pandemic potential of isolates, which will inform the development, production and distribution of effective countermeasures.     

Molecular characterization of H1N1 influenza A viruses from human cases in North America

Subtypes of H1N1 influenza virus can be found in humans in North America, while they are also associated with the infection of swine. Characterization of the genotypes of viral strains in human populations is important to understand the source and distribution of viral strains. Genomic and protein sequences of 10 isolates of the 2009 outbreak of influenza A （H1N1） virus in North America were obtained from GenBank database. To characterize the genotypes of these viruses, phylogenetic trees of genes PB2, PB1, PA, HA, NP, NA, NS and M were constructed by Phylip3.67 program and N-Linked glycosylation sites of HA, NA, PB2, NS1 and M2 proteins were analyzed online by NetNGlyc1.0 program. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these isolates are virtually identical but may be recombinant viruses because their genomic fragments come from different viruses. The isolates also contain a characteristic lowly pathogenic amino acid motif at their HA cleavage sites （IPSIQSR↓GL）, and an E residue at position 627 of the PB2 protein which shows its high affinity to humans. The homologous model of M proteins showed that the viruses had obtained the ability of anti-amantadine due to the mutation at the drug-sensitive site, while sequence analysis of NA proteins indicated that the viruses are still susceptible to the neuraminidase inhibitor drug （i.e. oseltamivir and zanamivir） because no mutations have been observed. Our results strongly suggested that the viruses responsible for the 2009 outbreaks of influenza A （H1N1） virus have the ability to cross species barriers to infect human and mammalian animals based on molecular analysis. These findings may further facilitate the therapy and prevention of possible transmission from North America to other countries.     

Haemagglutinin mutations responsible for the binding of H5N1 influenza A viruses to human-type receptors

H5N1 influenza A viruses have spread to numerous countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, infecting not only large numbers of poultry, but also an increasing number of humans, often with lethal effects. Human and avian influenza A viruses differ in their recognition of host cell receptors: the former preferentially recognize receptors with saccharides terminating in sialic acid-alpha2,6-galactose (SAalpha2,6Gal), whereas the latter prefer those ending in SAalpha2,3Gal (refs 3-6). A conversion from SAalpha2,3Gal to SAalpha2,6Gal recognition is thought to be one of the changes that must occur before avian influenza viruses can replicate efficiently in humans and acquire the potential to cause a pandemic. By identifying mutations in the receptor-binding haemagglutinin (HA) molecule that would enable avian H5N1 viruses to recognize human-type host cell receptors, it may be possible to predict (and thus to increase preparedness for) the emergence of pandemic viruses. Here we show that some H5N1 viruses isolated from humans can bind to both human and avian receptors, in contrast to those isolated from chickens and ducks, which recognize the avian receptors exclusively. Mutations at positions 182 and 192 independently convert the HAs of H5N1 viruses known to recognize the avian receptor to ones that recognize the human receptor. Analysis of the crystal structure of the HA from an H5N1 virus used in our genetic experiments shows that the locations of these amino acids in the HA molecule are compatible with an effect on receptor binding. The amino acid changes that we identify might serve as molecular markers for assessing the pandemic potential of H5N1 field isolates.     

Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors

Investigation of the human antibody response to influenza virus infection has been largely limited to serology, with relatively little analysis at the molecular level. The 1918 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic was the most severe of the modern era. Recent work has recovered the gene sequences of this unusual strain, so that the 1918 pandemic virus could be reconstituted to display its unique virulence phenotypes. However, little is known about adaptive immunity to this virus. We took advantage of the 1918 virus sequencing and the resultant production of recombinant 1918 haemagglutinin (HA) protein antigen to characterize at the clonal level neutralizing antibodies induced by natural exposure of survivors to the 1918 pandemic virus. Here we show that of the 32 individuals tested that were born in or before 1915, each showed seroreactivity with the 1918 virus, nearly 90 years after the pandemic. Seven of the eight donor samples tested had circulating B cells that secreted antibodies that bound the 1918 HA. We isolated B cells from subjects and generated five monoclonal antibodies that showed potent neutralizing activity against 1918 virus from three separate donors. These antibodies also cross-reacted with the genetically similar HA of a 1930 swine H1N1 influenza strain, but did not cross-react with HAs of more contemporary human influenza viruses. The antibody genes had an unusually high degree of somatic mutation. The antibodies bound to the 1918 HA protein with high affinity, had exceptional virus-neutralizing potency and protected mice from lethal infection. Isolation of viruses that escaped inhibition suggested that the antibodies recognize classical antigenic sites on the HA surface. Thus, these studies demonstrate that survivors of the 1918 influenza pandemic possess highly functional, virus-neutralizing antibodies to this uniquely virulent virus, and that humans can sustain circulating B memory cells to viruses for many decades after exposure-well into the tenth decade of life.     

流感病毒H3N2血凝素基因和神经氨酸酶基因在真核酵母菌中的表达

目的克隆、表达和鉴定流感病毒H3N2血凝素基因(hemagglutinin,HA)和神经氨酸酶基因(neuramidinase,NA)序列,为制备抗体和基因工程疫苗打下基础。方法在成功克隆流感病毒H3N2全长HA、NA基因并测序的基础上,将部分基因序列克隆到表达载体pMET A上,构建了重组表达质粒pMET A/HA(52 bp～1 549 bp)、pMET A/NA(121 bp～1 260 bp),电转化真核酵母菌pMAD16,甲醇诱导表达,利用Ni2+亲和层析柱对重组蛋白进行纯化,并用Western Blotting和ELISA方法检测其抗原性。结果重组蛋白在酵母菌中可以高效表达,SDS-PAGE显示蛋白表达后形成了二聚体,蛋白纯度占总蛋白的95%以上,ELISA和Western Blotting实验证实,重组蛋白具有良好的抗原性。结论本研究成功克隆和表达了流感病毒H3N2 HA、NA基因序列,为流感病毒H3N2诊断试剂和疫苗开发等进一步研究奠定了基础。     

禽流感病毒H5N1血凝素基因和神经氨酸酶基因在真核酵母菌中的表达

目的克隆、表达和鉴定禽流感病毒H5N1血凝素基因（hemagglutinin,HA）和神经氨酸酶基因（neuramidinase,NA）序列,为制备抗体和基因工程疫苗打下基础。方法在成功克隆禽流感病毒H5N1全长HA、NA基因并测序的基础上,将部分基因序列克隆到表达载体pMET A上,构建了重组表达质粒pMET A/HA（49～1 587 bp）、pMET A/NA（121～1 200 bp）,电转化真核酵母菌pMAD16,甲醇诱导表达,利用Ni2＋亲和层析柱对重组蛋白进行纯化,并用Western Blotting和ELISA方法检测其抗原性。结果重组蛋白在酵母菌中可以高效表达,SDS-PAGE显示蛋白表达后形成了二聚体,蛋白纯度占总蛋白的95%以上,ELISA和Western Blotting实验证实,重组蛋白具有良好的抗原性。结论本研究成功克隆和表达了禽流感病毒H5N1 HA、NA基因序列,为禽流感病毒H5N1诊断试剂和疫苗的开发等进一步的研究提供了依据。     

Genome evolution of novel influenza A （H1N1 ） viruses in humans

The epidemic situation of A H1N1 flu arose in North America in April 2009, which rapidly expanded to three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, with the risk ranking up to 5. Until May 13th, the flu virus of A H1N1 had spread into 33 countries and regions, with a laboratory confirmed case number of 5728, including 61 deaths. Based on IRV and EpiFluDB database, 425 parts of A H1N1 flu virus sequence were achieved, followed by sequenced comparison and evolution analysis. The results showed that the current predominant A H1N1 flu virus was a kind of triple reassortment A flu virus： （i） HA, NA, MP, NP and NS originated from swine influenza virus; PB2 and PA originated from bird influenza virus; PB1 originated from human influenza virus. （ii） The origin of swine influenza virus could be subdivided as follows： HA, NP and NS originated from classic swine influenza virus of H1N1 subtype; NA and MP originated from bird origin swine influenza virus of H1N1 subtype. （iii） A H1N1 flu virus experienced no significant mutation during the epidemic spread, accompanied with no reassortment of the virus genome. In the paper, the region of the representative strains for sequence analysis （A/California/04/2009 （H1N1） and A/Mexico/4486/2009 （H1N1）） included USA and Mexico and was relatively wide, which suggested that the analysis results were convincing.     

流感分子病毒学研究进展

流感病毒繁殖周期很短,基因结构又非常简单,病毒RNA分成8个独立的片段。每个基因片段编码一个蛋白,有利于宿主发生双重感染后不同毒株之间基因交换重组。流感病毒为了自身生存,适应外界环境,频繁发生变异。每次新亚型出现,都引起世界性大流行。人类与流感病毒将长期共存。     

IFITM3 restricts the morbidity and mortality associated with influenza

The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic showed the speed with which a novel respiratory virus can spread and the ability of a generally mild infection to induce severe morbidity and mortality in a subset of the population. Recent in vitro studies show that the interferon-inducible transmembrane (IFITM) protein family members potently restrict the replication of multiple pathogenic viruses. Both the magnitude and breadth of the IFITM proteins' in vitro effects suggest that they are critical for intrinsic resistance to such viruses, including influenza viruses. Using a knockout mouse model, we now test this hypothesis directly and find that IFITM3 is essential for defending the host against influenza A virus in vivo. Mice lacking Ifitm3 display fulminant viral pneumonia when challenged with a normally low-pathogenicity influenza virus, mirroring the destruction inflicted by the highly pathogenic 1918 'Spanish' influenza. Similar increased viral replication is seen in vitro, with protection rescued by the re-introduction of Ifitm3. To test the role of IFITM3 in human influenza virus infection, we assessed the IFITM3 alleles of individuals hospitalized with seasonal or pandemic influenza H1N1/09 viruses. We find that a statistically significant number of hospitalized subjects show enrichment for a minor IFITM3 allele (SNP rs12252-C) that alters a splice acceptor site, and functional assays show the minor CC genotype IFITM3 has reduced influenza virus restriction in vitro. Together these data reveal that the action of a single intrinsic immune effector, IFITM3, profoundly alters the course of influenza virus infection in mouse and humans.     

Avian flu: isolation of drug-resistant H5N1 virus

The persistence of H5N1 avian influenza viruses in many Asian countries and their ability to cause fatal infections in humans have raised serious concerns about a global flu pandemic. Here we report the isolation of an H5N1 virus from a Vietnamese girl that is resistant to the drug oseltamivir, which is an inhibitor of the viral enzyme neuraminidase and is currently used for protection against and treatment of influenza. Further investigation is necessary to determine the prevalence of oseltamivir-resistant H5N1 viruses among patients treated with this drug.     

人源甲型H1N1流感HA基因进化特征分析

为了探究2009年3月至8月流感大爆发期间的人源甲型H1N1流感病毒的进化特征,提出了一种图形化表达病毒序列的方法,该方法将甲型H1N1流感病毒HA基因的符号序列数字化表达后,利用主成分分析（PCA）将高维数值序列的维度大幅度降低为二维,将低维的数值序列图形化表达在平面和空间中。在序列的图形化表达基础上,对2009年3月到8月收集的三千多个流感病毒样本做了新旧病毒的区分,筛选出了新型病毒菌株,并根据图形探究了甲型H1N1流感病毒在时间序列上的进化特征。     

Epidemiological and risk analysis of the H7N9 subtype influenza outbreak in China at its early stage

Dozens of human cases infected with H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV) have been confirmed in China since March, 2013. Distribution data of sexes, ages, professions and regions of the cases were analyzed in this report. The results showed that the elderly cases, especially the male elderly, were significantly more than expected, which is different from human cases of H5N1 avian influenza and human cases of the pandemic H1N1 influenza. The outbreak was rated as a Grade Ⅲ (severe) outbreak, and it would evolve into a Grade IV (very severe) outbreak soon, using a method reported previously. The H7N9 AIV will probably circulate in humans, birds and pigs for years. Moreover, with the driving force of natural selection, the virus will probably evolve into highly pathogenic AIV in birds, and into a deadly pandemic influenza virus in humans. Therefore, the H7N9 outbreak has been assumed severe, and it is likely to become very or extremely severe in the future, highlighting the emergent need of forceful scientific measures to eliminate any infected animal flocks. We also described two possible mild scenarios of the future evolution of the outbreak.     

Orisin and future distribution of the new A （H 1N1 ） influenza virus emerging in North America in 2009

The origin of the new A （H1N1） influenza virus recently emerging in North America is a hot controversial topic of significance in disease control and risk assessment. Some experts claimed that it was an unusually mongrelized mix of human, avian and swine influenza viruses, while some others concluded that it was totally a simple re-assortment hybrid of two lineages of swine influenza viruses. Here the phylogenetic diversity of the viral PB1, PA and PB2 gene sequences using online web servers, and the results suggest that all the 8 genetic segments of the new virus were possibly from two lineages of swine influenza viruses, and one of the lineage was a mongrelized mix of human, avian and swine influenza viruses emerging in the world approximately 10 years ago. Considering the recent epidemiological trends of the new virus, we believe it will spread more widely in the world and persist long in human populations. It also could spread among swine populations. The future wide spreading of the new virus may coincide the disappearance of a subtype of previous human influenza A virus.     

Enhanced virulence of influenza A viruses with the haemagglutinin of the 1918 pandemic virus

The 'Spanish' influenza pandemic of 1918-19 was the most devastating outbreak of infectious disease in recorded history. At least 20 million people died from their illness, which was characterized by an unusually severe and rapid clinical course. The complete sequencing of several genes of the 1918 influenza virus has made it possible to study the functions of the proteins encoded by these genes in viruses generated by reverse genetics, a technique that permits the generation of infectious viruses entirely from cloned complementary DNA. Thus, to identify properties of the 1918 pandemic influenza A strain that might be related to its extraordinary virulence, viruses were produced containing the viral haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of the 1918 strain. The HA of this strain supports the pathogenicity of a mouse-adapted virus in this animal. Here we demonstrate that the HA of the 1918 virus confers enhanced pathogenicity in mice to recent human viruses that are otherwise non-pathogenic in this host. Moreover, these highly virulent recombinant viruses expressing the 1918 viral HA could infect the entire lung and induce high levels of macrophage-derived chemokines and cytokines, which resulted in infiltration of inflammatory cells and severe haemorrhage, hallmarks of the illness produced during the original pandemic.     

H5N1的结构与致病机制

以禽流感病毒H5N1的两种基质蛋白HA、NA的结构为基础,分析了H5N1的基因结构,探索其毒力基础和致病的分子机制.     

The structure of H5N1 avian influenza neuraminidase suggests new opportunities for drug design

The worldwide spread of H5N1 avian influenza has raised concerns that this virus might acquire the ability to pass readily among humans and cause a pandemic. Two anti-influenza drugs currently being used to treat infected patients are oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), both of which target the neuraminidase enzyme of the virus. Reports of the emergence of drug resistance make the development of new anti-influenza molecules a priority. Neuraminidases from influenza type A viruses form two genetically distinct groups: group-1 contains the N1 neuraminidase of the H5N1 avian virus and group-2 contains the N2 and N9 enzymes used for the structure-based design of current drugs. Here we show by X-ray crystallography that these two groups are structurally distinct. Group-1 neuraminidases contain a cavity adjacent to their active sites that closes on ligand binding. Our analysis suggests that it may be possible to exploit the size and location of the group-1 cavity to develop new anti-influenza drugs.     

Isolation and characterization of H7N9 viruses from live poultry markets--Implication of the source of current H7N9 infection in humans

On March 31, 2013, the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced that human infections with a previously undescribed influenza A (H7N9) virus had occurred in Shanghai and Anhui Province, China. To investigate the possible origins of the H7N9 viruses causing these human infections, we collected 970 samples, including drinking water, soil, and cloacal and tracheal swabs of poultry from live poultry markets and poultry farms in Shanghai and Anhui Province. Twenty samples were positive for the H7N9 influenza virus. Notably, all 20 viruses were isolated from samples collected from live poultry markets in Shanghai. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the six internal genes of these novel human H7N9 viruses were derived from avian H9N2 viruses, but the ancestor of their HA and NA genes is uncertain. When we examined the phylogenetic relationship between the H7N9 isolates from live poultry markets and the viruses that caused the human infections, we found that they shared high homology across all eight gene segments. We thus identified the direct avian origin of the H7N9 influenza viruses that caused the human infections. Importantly, we observed that the H7N9 viruses isolated from humans had acquired critical mutations that made them more "human-like". It is therefore imperative to take strong measures to control the spread of H7N9 viruses in birds and humans to prevent further threats to human health.     

Genetic insight of the H5N1 hemagglutinin cleavage site

The cleavability of the hemagglutinin (HA) plays a major role in virulence of avian influenza viruses. Detailed analyses of the cleavage sequences and their evolution would give insights into the high pathogenicity of the H5N1 virus. HA segments were visually identifiable in the cellular automata (CA) image, and a feature gene segment (FGS) was only found in H5N1 rather than any other subtype. This FGS is a 30-bp gene segment mainly consisting of ‘A’ and ‘G’. When translated into amino acids the FGS converted into a sequence of mainly basic amino acids with positive charges. This feature amino acid segment (FAAS) was located in the cleavage site loop of HA which was potentially cleavable by various proteases. The 3D structure of H5N1 HA was reconstructed using homology modelling. It was found that the cleavage site loop was well exposed to potential proteases. The molecular surfaces were reconstructed to study how mutation and deletion of some amino acids in the FAAS affected the charge distribution. It was found that some mutations had severely changed the landscape of the charge dis- tribution. Statistical analyses of FAAS were made with respect to when and where the H5N1 viruses were found. In 2005, there were less un-mutated FAAS than the other years according to temporal evolution, and more mutated FAAS appeared in China than other regions according to geographic dis- tribution. These results are helpful for exploring the evolution of virus high pathogenicity.     

Sequence and epitope analysis of surface proteins of avian influenza H5N1 viruses from Asian patients

Avian influenza virus strain H5N1 is a highly patho- genic type A influenza virus that has caused several outbreaks of severe poultry plagues in the past. H5N1 preferentially binds to receptors with α2-3 linked sialic acids on the surface of avian epithe…     

H5N1亚型禽流感病毒血凝素基因的克隆与表达

 根据已知H5N1亚型禽流感病毒血凝素(HA)基因序列设计、合成克隆引物.自灭活的云南地方H5N1亚型病毒阳性临床组织样品中提取总RNA,反转录后采用高可信度DNA聚合酶(Pyobest^TMDNA Polymerase)扩增HA基因,采用Invitrogen定向表达系统(Champion^TMpET directional TOPO expression system)进行克隆表达,纯化获得N末端携带多聚组氨酸标签的重组HA,分子质量约78ku.采用阳性血清经免疫印迹及ELISA分析重组HA的免疫反应性,结果表明重组HA能与H5N1亚型病毒抗血清发生特异性结合,具有良好的免疫反应性.