Description

This model was created for PathogenAR (https://niaid.github.io/PathogenAR/flu_vaccine.html), an augmented reality program being developed by the Biovisualization Program in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch in the Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology at NIAID. This potential "Universal Vaccine" uses only the Hemagglutinin (HA) Stem region, which is relatively constant between Influenza strains. The particle consists an iron-carrying spherical nanoparticle formed by a naturally occurring protein called Ferritin. Ferritin chains fused to HA Stem regions spontaneously come together to produce a particle with eight HA Stems projecting from its surface. Promoting an immune response towards a region that doesn't significantly vary between Influenza strains can potentially protect against most/all of them. According to a recent NIAID Now blog post (https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/vrc-uni-flu-vax), a vaccine based on this structure known as H1ssF (influenza H1 hemagglutinin stabilized stem ferritin nanoparticle vaccine) is currently performing well in clinical trials: A Widge, et al. An Influenza Hemagglutinin Stem Nanoparticle 1 Vaccine Induces Cross Group 1 Neutralizing Antibodies in Healthy Adults. Science Translational Medicine DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.ade4790 (2023). S Andrews, et al. An Influenza H1 Hemagglutinin Stem-Only Immunogen Elicits a Broadly Cross-Reactive B Cell Response in Humans. Science Translational Medicine DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.ade4976 (2023).