Influenza virus vaccine subunit

Minutello M, Senatore F, CecchineUi G, Bianchi M, Andreani T, Podda A, Crovari P. Safety and immunogeni-city of an inactivated subunit influenza virus vaccine combined with MF59 adjuvant emulsion in elderly subjects, immunized for three consecutive influenza seasons. Vaccine 1999 17(2) 99-104. 

Minutello, M., F. Senatore, G. CecchineJJi, M. Bianchi, T. Andreani, A. Podda, and P. Crovari (1999) Safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated subunit influenza virus vaccine com-... 

Bachmayer H. 1976. SpKt and subunit vaccines. In P. Selby (Ed.), Influenza Virus, Vaccines, and Strategy, p. 149. New York, Academic Press. 

Immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes (IRTV) are spherical 150-nm sized particles consisting of a phospholipid bilayer in which influenza virus A/Singapore strain-derived hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) are intercalated. As such, they resemble and mimic the influenza virus envelope. The difference from conventional liposome formulations lies in the inclusion of the viral envelope proteins HA and NA as well as viral phospholipids. Especially, the inclusion of influenza virus HA provides IRIV with delivery and immimogenic capacities. IRTV are licensed for human use as adjuvant in hepatitis A vaccination and as influenza subunit vaccine (1). 

Subunit vaccines Immunogenic proteins or peptide antigens customized to specific antigenic determinants are purified from tissue culture HIV, rabies virus, influenza virus, hepatitis B virus... 

Influenza vaccine viruses are propagated in embryonated chicken eggs. The virus-containing extra-embryonic fluid is harvested, purified, and inactivated with formalin. Inactivated flu vaccine is produced either as whole virus vaccine or ether-disrupted split or subunit preparations. However, many other new or modified influenza vaccines are already available or are expected to appear in the near future, for example vaccines containing new adjuvants, live attenuated vaccines, and vaccines administered by alternative routes. 

Verweij WR. de Haan L, Holtrop M et aL Mucosal immunoadjuvant activity of recombinant Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin and its B subunit induction of systemic IgG and secretory IgA responses in mice by intranasal immunization with influenza virus surface antigen. Vaccine 1998 16(20) 2069-2076. 

Monovalent influenza virus subunit vaccine, designated A/swine X-53, prepared from ANJ/76 (New Jersey, Swine) is only moderately to weakly effective when given as a single dose to young people. 

The first data available on the potential use of influenza virus ISCOMs in a nonhuman primate model showed that this form of antigen presentation not only induced more antibody and T cell responses than classical subunit vaccines, but also provided absolute protection against a homologous challenge infection [48]. 

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