Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in Ferrets

Background/Objectives: Live influenza vaccines are considered to stimulate better overall immune responses but are associated with safety concerns regarding shedding and the potential for transmission or reassortment with wild-type influenza viruses. Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR (M2- and BM2-deficient...

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Main Authors: Yasuko Hatta, Lindsay Hill-Batorski, Michael J. Moser, David Marshall, David A. Boltz, Landon Westfall, Renee Herber, Sally Sarawar, Pamuk Bilsel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Vaccines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/11/1228
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author Yasuko Hatta
Lindsay Hill-Batorski
Michael J. Moser
David Marshall
David A. Boltz
Landon Westfall
Renee Herber
Sally Sarawar
Pamuk Bilsel
author_facet Yasuko Hatta
Lindsay Hill-Batorski
Michael J. Moser
David Marshall
David A. Boltz
Landon Westfall
Renee Herber
Sally Sarawar
Pamuk Bilsel
author_sort Yasuko Hatta
collection DOAJ
description Background/Objectives: Live influenza vaccines are considered to stimulate better overall immune responses but are associated with safety concerns regarding shedding and the potential for transmission or reassortment with wild-type influenza viruses. Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR (M2- and BM2-deficient single replication), intranasal influenza viruses, have shown promise as broadly cross-reactive next-generation influenza vaccines. The replication deficiency, shedding, and transmissibility of M2SR/BM2SR viruses were evaluated in a ferret model. Methods: Wild-type influenza A and B control viruses replicated in upper respiratory organs and transmitted to both direct and aerosol contact ferrets, whereas M2SR and BM2SR influenza vaccine viruses were not detected in any tissues or in nasal washes after inoculation and were not recovered from any direct or aerosol contact ferrets. Mice were simultaneously infected with wild-type influenza A and M2SR viruses to assess reassortment potential. Sequence and PCR analyses of the genome recovered from individual virus plaques isolated from lung homogenates identified the origin of the segments as exclusively from the replicating wild-type virus. Results: These results indicate that M2SR and BM2SR influenza vaccine viruses are attenuated, do not shed or transmit, and have a low probability for reassortment after coinfection. Absence of shedding was further demonstrated in nasal swabs taken from subjects who were inoculated with H3N2 M2SR in a previously described Phase 1 clinical study. Conclusions: These results indicate that M2SR/BM2SR viruses have the potential to be used in a broader population range than current live influenza vaccines.
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spelling doaj-art-63c2e4287c214b30aa4eff9101548ee22025-08-20T01:54:08ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2024-10-011211122810.3390/vaccines12111228Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in FerretsYasuko Hatta0Lindsay Hill-Batorski1Michael J. Moser2David Marshall3David A. Boltz4Landon Westfall5Renee Herber6Sally Sarawar7Pamuk Bilsel8FluGen, Inc., Madison, WI 53711, USAFluGen, Inc., Madison, WI 53711, USAFluGen, Inc., Madison, WI 53711, USAFluGen, Inc., Madison, WI 53711, USAIIT Research Institute, Chicago, IL 60616, USAIIT Research Institute, Chicago, IL 60616, USAFluGen, Inc., Madison, WI 53711, USAThe BioMedical Research Institute of Southern California, Oceanside, CA 92056, USAFluGen, Inc., Madison, WI 53711, USABackground/Objectives: Live influenza vaccines are considered to stimulate better overall immune responses but are associated with safety concerns regarding shedding and the potential for transmission or reassortment with wild-type influenza viruses. Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR (M2- and BM2-deficient single replication), intranasal influenza viruses, have shown promise as broadly cross-reactive next-generation influenza vaccines. The replication deficiency, shedding, and transmissibility of M2SR/BM2SR viruses were evaluated in a ferret model. Methods: Wild-type influenza A and B control viruses replicated in upper respiratory organs and transmitted to both direct and aerosol contact ferrets, whereas M2SR and BM2SR influenza vaccine viruses were not detected in any tissues or in nasal washes after inoculation and were not recovered from any direct or aerosol contact ferrets. Mice were simultaneously infected with wild-type influenza A and M2SR viruses to assess reassortment potential. Sequence and PCR analyses of the genome recovered from individual virus plaques isolated from lung homogenates identified the origin of the segments as exclusively from the replicating wild-type virus. Results: These results indicate that M2SR and BM2SR influenza vaccine viruses are attenuated, do not shed or transmit, and have a low probability for reassortment after coinfection. Absence of shedding was further demonstrated in nasal swabs taken from subjects who were inoculated with H3N2 M2SR in a previously described Phase 1 clinical study. Conclusions: These results indicate that M2SR/BM2SR viruses have the potential to be used in a broader population range than current live influenza vaccines.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/11/1228M2-deficientsheddingliveinfluenzaM2BM2
spellingShingle Yasuko Hatta
Lindsay Hill-Batorski
Michael J. Moser
David Marshall
David A. Boltz
Landon Westfall
Renee Herber
Sally Sarawar
Pamuk Bilsel
Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in Ferrets
Vaccines
M2-deficient
shedding
live
influenza
M2
BM2
title Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in Ferrets
title_full Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in Ferrets
title_fullStr Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in Ferrets
title_full_unstemmed Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in Ferrets
title_short Intranasal M2SR and BM2SR Vaccine Viruses Do Not Shed or Transmit in Ferrets
title_sort intranasal m2sr and bm2sr vaccine viruses do not shed or transmit in ferrets
topic M2-deficient
shedding
live
influenza
M2
BM2
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/11/1228
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