A novel infection-fighting protein recently discovered by researchers can recognize and disable 18 different global strains of influenza, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.
Researchers were able to isolate this new antibody by examining blood samples from seven blood bank donors whose blood harbored antibody producing memory B cells, which are white blood cells that reside in the spleen and bone marrow to combat infections. In the laboratory, researchers pitted an array of influenza strains against these cells and subsequently identified one B cell population that recognized and responded to all of the influenza strains.
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Influenza is difficult to immunize because it is a shape-shifting virus that rapidly mutates every season. The recently discovered antibody, named 3I14 mAb, shows promise because its genetic composition gives it the capacity to rapidly adapt and evolve, enabling it to neutralize multiple mutations of influenza.
"Our results further suggest that establishing an optimized memory B cell pool should be an aim of 'universal' influenza vaccine strategies," write the researchers.
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