The zoonotic outbreak of H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus that occurred in eastern China in the spring of 2013 resulted in 135 confirmed human cases, 44 of which were lethal. Sequencing of the viral genome revealed a number of molecular signatures associated with virulence or transmission in mammals. We report here that, in the guinea pig model, a human isolate of novel H7N9 influenza virus, A/Anhui/1/2013 (An/13), is highly dissimilar to an H7N1 avian isolate and instead behaves similarly to a human seasonal strain in several respects. An/13 was found to have a low 50% infectious dose, grow to high titers in the upper respiratory tract, and transmit efficiently among cocaged guinea pigs. The pH of fusion of the hemagglutinin (HA) and the binding of virus to fixed guinea pig tissues were also examined. The An/13 HA displayed a relatively elevated pH of fusion characteristic of many avian strains, and An/13 resembled avian viruses in terms of attachment to tissues. One important difference was seen between An/13 and both the H3N2 human and the H7N1 avian viruses: when inoculated intranasally at a high dose, only the An/13 virus led to productive infection of the lower respiratory tract of guinea pigs. In sum, An/13 was found to retain fusion and attachment properties of an avian influenza virus but displayed robust growth and contact transmission in the guinea pig model atypical of avian strains and indicative of mammalian adaptation.

Differentiated air-liquid interface cultures of rat tracheal epithelial cells provide a novel model to study airway epithelium-influenza interactions. The dual oxidase/lactoperoxidase/thiocyanate extracellular oxidative system producing hypothiocyanite is a fast and potent anti-influenza mechanism inactivating H1N2 viruses prior to infection of the epithelium.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides physical scaffolding for cellular constituents and initiates biochemical and biomechanical cues that are required for physiological activity of living tissues. The ECM enzyme ADAMTS5, a member of the ADAMTS (A Disintegrin-like and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin-1 motifs) protein family, cleaves large proteoglycans such as aggrecan, leading to the destruction of cartilage and osteoarthritis. However, its contribution to viral pathogenesis and immunity is currently undefined. Here, we use a combination of in vitro and in vivo models to show that ADAMTS5 enzymatic activity plays a key role in the development of influenza-specific immunity. Influenza virus infection of Adamts5-/- mice resulted in delayed virus clearance, compromised T cell migration and immunity and accumulation of versican, an ADAMTS5 proteoglycan substrate. Our research emphasises the importance of ADAMTS5 expression in the control of influenza virus infection and highlights the potential for development of ADAMTS5-based therapeutic strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality.

For a better understanding of evolution of influenza viruses, a chicken-origin and wild-bird-origin low-pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAI) was serially passaged in chickens. Sequences of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes at each passage level were compared to those of the parental virus. Multiple mutations occurring early during passage were detected, but these were maintained during passages. Interestingly, a number of the observed mutations already existed in the parental virus, as indicated by the presence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The greatest numbers of mutations occurred during passage of wild-bird-origin LPAI, where a 20-amino-acid deletion in the NA gene that was observed during the first passage was maintained during subsequent passages. Subsequent experiments showed that this NA deletion was already present as a minority population in the parental virus. These results showed that a selection process favoring a viral subpopulation had occurred.

Swine generate reassortant influenza viruses because they can be simultaneously infected with avian and human influenza; however, the features that restrict influenza reassortment in swine and human hosts are not fully understood. Type I and III interferons (IFNs) act as the first line of defense against influenza virus infection of respiratory epithelium. To determine if human and swine have different capacities to mount an antiviral response the expression of IFN and IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells and normal swine bronchial epithelial (NSBE) cells was evaluated following infection with human (H3N2), swine (H1N1), and avian (H5N3, H5N2, H5N1) influenza A viruses. Expression of IFNλ and ISGs were substantially higher in NHBE cells compared to NSBE cells following H5 avian influenza virus infection compared to human or swine influenza virus infection. This effect was associated with reduced H5 avian influenza virus replication in human cells at late times post infection. Further, RIG-I expression was lower in NSBE cells compared to NHBE cells suggesting reduced virus sensing. Together, these studies identify key differences in the antiviral response between human and swine respiratory epithelium alluding to differences that may govern influenza reassortment.

Remodelling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by ECM metalloproteinases is increasingly being associated with regulation of immune cell function. ECM metalloproteinases, including Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs), A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinases (ADAMs) and ADAMs with Thombospondin-1 motifs (ADAMTS) play a vital role in pathogen defence and have been shown to influence migration of immune cells. This review provides a current summary of the role of ECM enzymes in immune cell migration and function and discusses opportunities and limitations for development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting metalloproteinase expression and activity in the context of infectious disease.

The importance of antiviral CD8+ T cell recognition of alternative reading frame (ARF)–derived peptides is uncertain. In this study, we describe an epitope (NS1-ARF21–8) present in a predicted 14-residue peptide encoded by the +1 register of NS1 mRNA in the influenza A virus (IAV). NS1-ARF21–8 elicits a robust, highly functional CD8+ T cell response in IAV-infected BALB/c mice. NS1-ARF21–8 is presented from unspliced NS mRNA, likely from downstream initiation on a Met residue that comprises the P1 position of NS1-ARF21–8. Derived from a 14-residue peptide with no apparent biological function and negligible impacts on IAV infection, infectivity, and pathogenicity, NS1-ARF21–8 provides a clear demonstration of how immunosurveillance exploits natural errors in protein translation to provide antiviral immunity. We further show that IAV infection enhances a model cellular ARF translation, which potentially has important implications for virus-induced autoimmunity.

Seasonal human influenza virus continues to cause morbidity and mortality annually, and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses along with other emerging influenza viruses continue to pose pandemic threats. Vaccination is considered the most effective measure for controlling influenza; however, current strategies rely on a precise vaccine match with currently circulating virus strains for efficacy, requiring constant surveillance and regular development of matched vaccines. Current vaccines focus on eliciting specific antibody responses against the hemagglutinin (HA) surface glycoprotein; however, the diversity of HAs across species and antigenic drift of circulating strains enable the evasion of virus-inhibiting antibody responses, resulting in vaccine failure. The neuraminidase (NA) surface glycoprotein, while diverse, has a conserved enzymatic site and presents an appealing target for priming broadly effective antibody responses. Here we show that vaccination with parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5), a promising live viral vector expressing NA from avian (H5N1) or pandemic (H1N1) influenza virus, elicited NA-specific antibody and T cell responses, which conferred protection against homologous and heterologous influenza virus challenges. Vaccination with PIV5-N1 NA provided cross-protection against challenge with a heterosubtypic (H3N2) virus. Experiments using antibody transfer indicate that antibodies to NA have an important role in protection. These findings indicate that PIV5 expressing NA may be effective as a broadly protective vaccine against seasonal influenza and emerging pandemic threats.IMPORTANCE Seasonal influenza viruses cause considerable morbidity and mortality annually, while emerging viruses pose potential pandemic threats. Currently licensed influenza virus vaccines rely on the antigenic match of hemagglutinin (HA) for vaccine strain selection, and most vaccines rely on HA inhibition titers to determine efficacy, despite the growing awareness of the contribution of neuraminidase (NA) to influenza virus vaccine efficacy. Although NA is immunologically subdominant to HA, and clinical studies have shown variable NA responses to vaccination, in this study, we show that vaccination with a parainfluenza virus 5 recombinant vaccine candidate expressing NA (PIV5-NA) from a pandemic influenza (pdmH1N1) virus or highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus elicits robust, cross-reactive protection from influenza virus infection in two animal models. New vaccination strategies incorporating NA, including PIV5-NA, could improve seasonal influenza virus vaccine efficacy and provide protection against emerging influenza viruses.KEYWORDS influenza, vaccine, neuraminidase, parainfluenza virus 5, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus