STANDARDIZATION AND VALIDATION OF METHOD OF MICRONEUTRALIZATION FOR ANTIBODY DETECTION NEUTRALIZERS AGAINST INFLUENZA VIRUS A AND B

• Grant number: 23/02432-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2023
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Lee Ho
• Grantee: Ralyria Mello Vieira dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/07040-1 - Center of Research and Development in Immunobiologicals, AP.NPOP

Abstract

Epidemiological data indicate that approximately 1 billion people are infected withinfluenza viruses annually, of which 3 to 5 million can progress to more severe casesresulting in thousands of deaths a year. Vaccines have been the allied tool to mitigatethe spread of the virus, because they act prophylactically in populations, besides helpingto contain the emergence of new viruses. However, even if the production of this occurseffectively and with quality, a challenge that for years the Butantan Institute hasovercome, the vaccine, which is currently produced by the infection of embryonic eggs,presents certain limitations regarding the induced response in individuals of specificgroups, such as those considered non-responders, in addition to difficulties inherent toits production, such as obtaining quality embryonic eggs.Therefore, even if the current platform is effective, there are gaps for improvement. Thecreation of the Center for R&D in Immunobiologics (CERDI), based at the ButantanInstitute, which aims to develop research aimed at solving health problems with socialand economic relevance for the State of São Paulo (FAPESP - 2020/07040-1) has asone of the objectives the improvement and development of influenza vaccines, amongwhichwe highlight the production of influenza vaccines in cell culture. Thedevelopment of new products requires the realization of proofs of concept, in animals,aimed at evaluating the immunogenicity of these vaccines.Therefore, methods that allow the detection and quantification of neutralizing antibodiessuch as the microneutralization test, which is highly sensitive and specific, and withfewer limitations when compared to routinely used Hemagglutination Inhibition (HAI)assays, are necessary. The main objective of this project is to standardize and validate amicroneutralization assay coupled to an ELISA assay for Influenza A (H1N1, H3N2)and B viruses (Victoria and/or Yamagatha) and to apply them in immunogenicity assays.