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There is large literature describing in vitro experiments on heat shock protein (hsp)B1 but understanding of its function in vivo is limited to studies in mice overexpressing human hspB1 protein. Experiments in cells have shown that hspB1 has chaperone activity, a cytoprotective role, regulates inflammatory gene expression, and drives cell proliferation. To investigate the function of the protein in vivo we generated hspB1-deficient mice. HspB1-deficient fibroblasts display increased expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6, compared to wild-type cells, but reduced proliferation. HspB1-deficient fibroblasts exhibit reduced entry into S phase and increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27kip1 and p21waf1. The expression of hspB1 protein and mRNA is also controlled by the cell cycle. To investigate the physiological function of hspB1 in regulating inflammation and cell proliferation we used an excisional cutaneous wound healing model. There was a significant impairment in the rate of healing of wounds in hspB1-deficient mice, characterised by reduced re-epithelialisation and collagen deposition but also increased inflammation. HspB1 deficiency augments neutrophil infiltration in wounds, driven by increased chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 expression. This appears to be a general mechanism as similar results were obtained in the air-pouch and peritonitis models of acute inflammation.

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In the 2013–14 and 2015–16 influenza seasons, reduced vaccine effectiveness (VE) was observed for the H1N1 component of the FluMist quadrivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine (QLAIV) in the USA, leading to loss of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation. Here we demonstrate in ferrets that 2015–16A/H1N1pdm09 vaccine strain A/Bolivia/559/2013 (A/BOL13) is outcompeted in trivalent (TLAIV) and QLAIV formulations, leading to reduced protection from wild-type challenge. While monovalent (MLAIV) A/BOL13 provided significant protection from wild-type virus shedding and fever at doses as low as 3.0 log10 fluorescent focus units (FFU), it failed to provide a similar level of protection in TLAIV or QLAIV formulation, even at a 6.0 log10 FFU dose. Conversely, clinically effective H1N1 strain A/New Caledonia/20/1999 provided significant protection in MLAIV, TLAIV, and QLAIV formulations. In conclusion, reduced A/BOL13 replicative fitness rendered it susceptible to inter-strain competition in QLAIV, contributing to its reduced VE in the 2015–16 season.