• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Unique Infectious Strategy of H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus Is Governed by the Acid-Destabilized Property of Hemagglutinin

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Viral Immunol. 2017 Jun 27. doi: 10.1089/vim.2017.0020. [Epub ahead of print]
[h=1]Unique Infectious Strategy of H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus Is Governed by the Acid-Destabilized Property of Hemagglutinin.[/h] Daidoji T[SUP]1[/SUP], Watanabe Y[SUP]1[/SUP], Arai Y[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP], Kajikawa J[SUP]1[/SUP], Hirose R[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]3[/SUP], Nakaya T[SUP]1[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]

[h=3]Abstract[/h] Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus emerged in 1997 as a zoonotic disease in Hong Kong. It has since spread to Asia and Europe and is a serious threat to both the poultry industry and human health. For effective surveillance and possible prevention/control of HPAI H5N1 viruses, it is necessary to understand the molecular mechanism underlying HPAI H5N1 pathogenesis. The hemagglutinin (HA) protein of influenza A viruses (IAVs) is one of the major determinants of host adaptation, transmissibility, and viral virulence. The main function of the HA protein is to facilitate viral entry and viral genome release within host cells before infection. To achieve viral infection, IAVs belonging to different subtypes or strains induce viral-cell membrane fusion at different endosomal pH levels after internalization through endocytosis. However, host-specific endosomal pH also affects induction of membrane fusion followed by infection. The HA protein of HPAI H5N1 has a higher pH threshold for membrane fusion than the HA protein of classical avian influenza viruses. Although this particular property of HA (which governs viral infection) is prone to deactivation in the avian intestine or in an ambient environment, it facilitates efficient infection of host cells, resulting in a broad host tropism, regardless of the pH in the host endosome. Accumulated knowledge, together with further research, about the HA-governed mechanism underlying HPAI H5N1 virulence (i.e., receptor tropism and pH-dependent viral-cell membrane fusion) will be helpful for developing effective surveillance strategies and for prevention/control of HPAI H5N1 infection.


[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] acid stability; avian influenza virus; endosomal pH; hemagglutinin; highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1; membrane fusion

PMID: 28654310 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2017.0020
 
Back
Top Bottom