Gopal AB, Lv H, Pholcharee T, Ouyang WO, Teo QW, L. Characterization of two non-competing antibodies to influenza H3N2 hemagglutinin stem reveals its evolving antigenicity. Nat Commun. 2025 Nov 26;16(1):10557
The conserved stem domain of influenza hemagglutinin (HA), which is classified into group 1 and group 2, is a target of broadly neutralizing antibodies. While many group 1 HA stem antibodies have been described, much less is known about group 2 HA stem antibodies. This study structurally characterizes two group 2 HA stem antibodies, 2F02 and AG2-G02, targeting the central stem epitope and the lower stem epitope, respectively. Unlike prototypic antibodies to group 2 HA stem, 2F02 and AG2-G02 do not compete for binding. Both antibodies offer protection in a female mouse model via neutralization activity and Fc-mediated effector functions. We further demonstrate that the natural evolution of HA2 position 32 restricts the binding of AG2-G02 to recent human H3N2 HAs and influences the binding of human plasma samples. Overall, these findings advance our understanding of the antigenicity of HA stem, which has important implications for the development of broadly protective influenza vaccines.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- Modeling Airborne Influenza in Three Dimensions 2 days ago
- Increased contact transmission of contemporary Human H5N1 compared to Bovine and Mountain Lion H5N1 in a hamster model 2 days ago
- Immunity to hemagglutinin and neuraminidase results in additive reductions in airborne transmission of influenza H1N1 virus in ferrets 2 days ago
- A modelling exploration of potential spatiotemporal risk of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus introduction to Danish dairy herds through the contaminated environment 2 days ago
- Emergence of a novel H4N6 avian influenza virus with mammalian adaptation isolated from migratory birds in Zhejiang Province, China, 2024 2 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]


