Renukaradhya Gourapura will present seminar Sept. 16
“Induction of mucosal immunity against flu in the respiratory tract by using nanovaccines is a novel strategy” will be presented by Renukaradhya (Aradhya) J Gourapura, professor in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine of College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University.
Abstract
Mitigation of seasonal flu in humans against constantly evolving viruses is a huge challenge in the US and globally. Despite the annual update of the flu vaccine viruses, the efficacy of current vaccines varies from 20% to 60% over the last 10 years in the U.S, attributed to inability of the vaccines to induce increased breadth of immunity against constantly drifting seasonal flu viruses. Thus, developing a broadly cross-reactive and safe flu vaccine platform to use in all age group people is urgently required. Experimental studies showed that flu vaccines administered with potent adjuvants and intranasally induce superior cross-protective immunity by enhancing the breadth of antigen-specific T and B cell responses. Nanometer-scale polymeric materials have favorable physicochemical properties for mucosal vaccine delivery because their size, shape, charge, and composition can be designed. In the respiratory tract of pigs and humans nasal-associated lymphoid tissues includes lymphoid tissues of the Waldeyer’s ring in the nasopharynx (tonsils) and larynx (epiglottis), which are unlike in rodents, well developed with similar strategic location in humans and pigs. Notably, pigs are natural hosts for all the subtypes of influenza A viruses that infect humans, with 100% similarity in clinical signs, pathogenesis, lung pathology, and immune responses in the respiratory tract. In this presentation, the importance of mucosal immunity in the airways and need of novel intranasal vaccines to improve the breadth of immunity against constantly drifting flu viruses will be highlighted. Specifically, our studies on design and evaluation of different types of biocompatible nanovaccines delivery platforms to administer inactivated flu virus and peptides antigens, and identifying the immune correlates of cross-protection in a pig model will be covered. Our results support strongly that induction of mucosal immunity in the airways against flu by using nanovaccines is a novel strategy to combat human seasonal flu outbreaks.