Publications by authors named "Lauren La Rue"
Article Synopsis
- - Neuraminidase (NA) is a key glycoprotein in the influenza virus that aids in replication, yet existing vaccines mainly target hemagglutinin (HA) instead of NA despite evidence linking NA antibodies to disease resistance.
- - Research showed that recombinant NA (rNA) is effective in eliciting immune responses in naïve mice and ferrets, even among those with existing immunity.
- - When rNA was added to a traditional HA-based vaccine, it significantly enhanced NA-specific immune responses in ferrets without compromising HA-specific immunity, suggesting a potential improvement in vaccine effectiveness.
Human H3N2 influenza viruses are subject to rapid antigenic evolution which translates into frequent updates of the composition of seasonal influenza vaccines. Despite these updates, the effectiveness of influenza vaccines against H3N2-associated disease is suboptimal. Seasonal influenza vaccines primarily induce hemagglutinin-specific antibody responses.
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- Human rotavirus (HRV) is a major cause of severe gastroenteritis in children, primarily affecting the gastrointestinal tract and causing symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.
- Recent studies suggest that HRV might also infect salivary glands, similar to murine strains that transmit the virus through saliva between mother and pups.
- In a study using gnotobiotic pigs, researchers found that HRV was present in saliva, feces, and various tissues, indicating the virus can replicate in salivary tissues and trigger immune responses in both intestinal and facial lymphoid areas.
The neuraminidase (NA) is an abundant antigen at the surface of influenza virions. Recent studies have highlighted the immune-protective potential of NA against influenza and defined anti-NA antibodies as an independent correlate of protection. Even though NA head domain changes at a slightly slower pace than hemagglutinin (HA), NA is still subject to antigenic drift, and therefore an NA-based influenza vaccine antigen may have to be updated regularly and thus repeatedly administered.
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