Altered receptor specificity and fusion activity of the haemagglutinin contribute to high virulence of a mouse-adapted influenza A virus

The H1N1 Eurasian avian-like swine (EAsw) influenza viruses originated from an avian H1N1 virus. To characterize potential changes in the membrane fusion activity of the hemagglutinin (HA) during avian-to-swine adaptation of the virus, we studied EAsw viruses isolated in the first years of their circulation in pigs and closely related contemporary H1N1 viruses of wild aquatic birds. Compared to the avian viruses, the swine viruses were less sensitive to neutralization by lysosomotropic agent NH 4 Cl in MDCK cells, had a higher pH optimum of hemolytic activity, and were less stable at acidic pH. Eight amino acid substitutions in the HA were found to separate the EAsw viruses from their putative avian precursor; four substitutions-T49 2 S, N72 2 D, R75 2 K, and S113 2 F-were located in the structural regions of the HA2 subunit known to play a role in acid-induced conformational transition of the HA. We also studied low-pH-induced syncytium formation by cell-expressed HA proteins and found that the HAs of the 1918, 1957, 1968, and 2009 pandemic viruses required a lower pH for fusion induction than did the HA of a representative EAsw virus. Our data show that transmission of an avian H1N1 virus to pigs was accompanied by changes in conformational stability and fusion promotion activity of the HA. We conclude that distinctive host-determined fusion characteristics of the HA may represent a barrier for avian-to-swine and swine-to-human transmission of influenza viruses. IMPORTANCEContinuing cases of human infections with zoonotic influenza viruses highlight the necessity to understand which viral properties contribute to interspecies transmission. Efficient binding of the HA to cellular receptors in a new host species is known to be essential for the transmission. Less is known about required adaptive changes in the membrane fusion activity of the HA. Here we show that adaptation of an avian influenza virus to pigs in Europe in 1980s was accompanied by mutations in the HA, which decreased its conformational stability and increased pH optimum of membrane fusion activity. This finding represents the first formal evidence of alteration of the HA fusion activity/stability during interspecies transmission of influenza viruses under natural settings.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

H1N1 Swine Influenza Viruses Differ from Avian Precursors by a Higher pH Optimum of Membrane Fusion

Baumann

Kouassi

Foni

et al. 2016

“…In mammalian hosts, the correlation between the pH threshold for membrane fusion and influenza virulence is less clear. In mice, a relatively high pH threshold for HA conformational change and membrane fusion was correlated with high virulence of human influenza viruses (31)(32)(33); in contrast, high mouse virulence of an H5N1 virus correlated with a mutation in HA that reduced the pH threshold of membrane fusion (34). High virulence in ferrets appears to be associated with a more acidic pH optimum for membrane fusion of pH ϳ5.0 to 5.7 (8,9,12).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Identification of Stabilizing Mutations in an H5 Hemagglutinin Influenza Virus Protein

Hanson

Imai

Hatta

et al. 2016

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype continue to circulate in poultry in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Recently, outbreaks of novel reassortant H5 viruses have also occurred in North America. Although the number of human infections with highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses continues to rise, these viruses remain unable to efficiently transmit between humans. However, we and others have identified H5 viruses capable of respiratory droplet transmission in ferrets. Two experimentally introduced mutations in the viral hemagglutinin (HA) receptor-binding domain conferred binding to humantype receptors but reduced HA stability. Compensatory mutations in HA (acquired during virus replication in ferrets) were essential to restore HA stability. These stabilizing mutations in HA also affected the pH at which HA undergoes an irreversible switch to its fusogenic form in host endosomes, a crucial step for virus infectivity. To identify additional stabilizing mutations in an H5 HA, we subjected a virus library possessing random mutations in the ectodomain of an H5 HA (altered to bind humantype receptors) to three rounds of treatment at 50°C. We isolated several mutants that maintained their human-type receptorbinding preference but acquired an appreciable increase in heat stability and underwent membrane fusion at a lower pH; collectively, these properties may aid H5 virus respiratory droplet transmission in mammals. IMPORTANCEWe have identified mutations in HA that increase its heat stability and affect the pH that triggers an irreversible conformational change (a prerequisite for virus infectivity). These mutations were identified in the genetic background of an H5 HA protein that was mutated to bind to human cells. The ability to bind to human-type receptors, together with physical stability and an altered pH threshold for HA conformational change, may facilitate avian influenza virus transmission via respiratory droplets in mammals.

“…These facts suggest that the HA-190V facilitates virus infection of H9N2 viruses in mice but synergetic effects of other critical amino acids are most likely needed. A former study has shown that the D190E substitution in combination with changes at position 193 resulted in a 10-fold increase in the 50% lethal dose (LD 50 ) of virulent PR8 H1N1 virus (55). Similarly, the H5N1 viruses with a double mutation at HA residues 129 and 151 has increased infectivity and binding affinity to the human lower respiratory tract (56).…”

Section: Ha-190v Increases Virus Binding To A549 Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Single Mutation at Position 190 in Hemagglutinin Enhances Binding Affinity for Human Type Sialic Acid Receptor and Replication of H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus in Mice

Teng

Shen

et al. 2016

H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) has an extended host range, but the molecular basis underlying H9N2 AIV transmission to mammals remains unclear. We isolated more than 900 H9N2 AIVs in our 3-year surveillance in live bird markets in China from 2009 to 2012. Thirty-seven representative isolates were selected for further detailed characterization. These isolates were categorized into 8 genotypes (B64 to B71) and formed a distinct antigenic subgroup. Three isolates belonging to genotype B69, which is a predominant genotype circulating in China, replicated efficiently in mice, while the viruses tested in parallel in other genotypes replicated poorly, although they, like the three B69 isolates, have a leucine at position 226 in the hemagglutinin (HA) receptor binding site, which is critical for binding human type sialic acid receptors. Further molecular and single mutation analysis revealed that a valine (V) residue at position 190 in HA is responsible for efficient replication of these H9N2 viruses in mice. The 190V in HA does not affect virus receptor binding specificity but enhances binding affinity to human cells and lung tissues from mouse and humans. All these data indicate that the 190V in HA is one of the important determinants for H9N2 AIVs to cross the species barrier to infect mammals despite multiple genes conferring adaptation and replication of H9N2 viruses in mammals. Our findings provide novel insights on understanding host range expansion of H9N2 AIVs. IMPORTANCE Influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is responsible for binding to host cell receptors and therefore influences the viral host rangeand pathogenicity in different species. We showed that the H9N2 avian influenza viruses harboring 190V in the HA exhibit enhanced virus replication in mice. Further studies demonstrate that 190V in the HA does not change virus receptor binding specificity but enhances virus binding affinity of the H9N2 virus to human cells and attachment to lung tissues from humans and mouse. Our findings suggest that more attention should be given to the H9N2 AIVs with HA-190V during surveillance due to their potential threat to mammals, including humans. Since the first isolate of an avian influenza virus (AIV) H9N2 subtype was reported in the United States in 1966, three distinct lineages of H9N2 viruses that caused outbreaks in domestic poultry in Asia have been identified (1, 2). H9N2 is a predominant subtype of AIVs circulating in poultry farms in Asia and the Middle East and has caused substantial economic losses over the past decade (3-9). Although a large amount of H9N2 vaccines, including inactivated and vectored vaccines, have been used in areas of endemicity, outbreaks caused by H9N2 AIVs are still not efficiently controlled. Importantly, H9N2 AIV has been reported to infect mammals, including humans, pigs, and dogs (10-13), indicating that it has an extended host range. It should be noted that several human infections with an H9N2 AIV have been recorded (14,15). Numerous human infections have also been confirm...