Antigenic differences between H5N1 human influenza viruses isolated in 1997 and 2003

J Vet Med Sci. 2004 Mar;66(3):303-5. doi: 10.1292/jvms.66.303.

Abstract

To assess whether the antigenic properties of H5 hemagglutinin (HA) change over time due to antigenic drift, we produced a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the HA of the index H5N1 human influenza A virus, A/Hong Kong/156/97. By immunizing mice with a plasmid expressing this HA and boosting the initial immunization with cell lysates transfected with the plasmid, a total of six hybridomas producing HA-specific mAbs were established: four to the HA1 subunit with hemadsorption-inhibiting activity and two to the HA2 subunit. None of the mAbs to HA1 could bind to the HA of a recent human isolate, A/Hong Kong/213/2003, indicating that there are substantial antigenic differences between the H5N1 human influenza virus isolated in 1997 and that isolated in 2003.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Antigenic Variation / immunology*
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Hybridomas / immunology
  • Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype*
  • Influenza A virus / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Plasmids / immunology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus