Version 2 2024-06-03, 18:51Version 2 2024-06-03, 18:51
Version 1 2017-05-12, 14:31Version 1 2017-05-12, 14:31
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-03, 18:51authored byL Izzard, D Dlugolenski, Y Xia, M McMahon, D Middleton, RA Tripp, John StambasJohn Stambas
Influenza A vaccine efficacy in the elderly is generally poor and so identification of novel molecular adjuvants to improve immunogenicity is important to reduce the overall burden of disease. Short non-coding RNAs, known as microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate gene expression and have the potential to influence immune responses. One such miRNA, miR-155, has been shown to modulate T and B cell development and function. We incorporated miR-155 into the influenza A virus (IAV) genome creating a self-adjuvanting 'live vaccine' with the ability to modify immunogenicity. Infection of mice with a recombinant influenza virus encoding miR-155 in the NS gene segment altered epitope-specific expansion of influenza-specific CD8(+) T cells and induced significantly higher levels of neutralising antibody.