(485f) Design and Evaluation of a Potential Universal Influenza A Vaccine Based on M2e-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles

Influenza virus causes serious respiratory illness. Due to the high mutation rate in influenza genes antigenic drift creates a new strain each year. Consequently there is significant economic burden to monitor virus activity and to create and distribute new influenza vaccines to the public each year. Furthermore, emergence of a novel influenza subtype which is virulent and has never circulated amongst humans could cause a devastating pandemic. It is therefore critical that more universal vaccination strategies be developed against influenza A that can protect against all influenza A subtypes. The 23 amino acid-long extracellular domain of the viral transmembrane protein M2 (M2e) has remained highly conserved since the 1918 pandemic, and is considered a good candidate for the development of a universal influenza vaccine. However, M2e is poorly immunogenic. Our studies show that by attaching consensus M2e peptide to gold nanoparticles (Au) and using CpG as a soluble adjuvant (AuNP-M2e+sCpG vaccine) a broad heterosubtypic protection can be observed against A/PR/8/34 (H1N1), A/California/04/2009 (H1N1) pandemic strain, A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2),  and the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1). Furthermore, long term protection at 8 months post vaccination was observed. Overall, this study suggests that AuNP-M2e+sCpG vaccine holds potential as a universal influenza vaccine.