Influenza viruses have a mushroom-shaped protein known as neuraminidase that is said to have a"dark side" because the structure beneath its mushroom cap has been largely unexplored by science. Antibodies that latch onto this dark side could help form the basis for antiviral drugs and vaccines that work against many flu viruses, researchers wrote in a paper published Friday in the journal Immunity.
Scientists have only ever discovered a handful of human antibodies against NA, and these generally latch onto the top or the side of the protein's mushroom cap, the researchers noted in their report. These parts of the mushroom are more prone to mutating in ways that help flu viruses dodge the effects of antiviral drugs, they added.
In experiments with mice, the antibodies saved many rodents from a lethal dose of H3N2 virus, which hints they could be useful for the prevention and treatment of influenza in people. The antibodies showed strong protection both when they were given to mice prior to infection and when they were given afterward. The team also tested how the antibodies fared against some drug-resistant strains of flu and found they still showed the same degree of protection.
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