Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Scripps Research discovery paves way for better flu prevention, treatment

03/04/2018

Scripps Research discovery paves way for better flu prevention, treatment LA JOLLA, CA April 3, 2018 This year's flu vaccine has been less effective in protecting people from the most common strain of the virus, compared with recent years. And once people become infected with the flu, there are few good ways to treat it.

Now scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a new aspect of the flu virus and how it interacts with antibodies in the lungs. This research could lead to a new approach for developing vaccines to prevent the flu, as well as novel treatments for people who are already infected. The study is being published today in the journal Cell Reports.

This was a completely unexpected and unforeseen finding, says Lars Hangartner, PhD, an associate professor of immunology in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research and the study's senior author. We found that antibodies called IgAs, which are commonly found on mucosal surfaces, can actually protect us from infections in two different ways.

Flu vaccines work by presenting viral molecules, called antigens, to the immune system. These antigens act as mugshots, teaching the immune system to recognize and produce antibodies against the virus, should it see them again.

Flu vaccines today stimulate mostly other antibodies than IgA, but based on the new findings, the investigators say this may not be the best approach. The scientists studied different kinds of antibodies in cell cultures to find out which ones were most potent against the flu virus. They found that a subtype called IgA1 was the most effective. Further research revealed that one part of the IgA1 in particular made it so effective a certain kind of tail on the end of the molecule that can directly inhibit the flu and other viruses.

Working with collaborators at the University of Zurich, the researchers found this tail blocks the part of the virus that allows it to attach to the cells it wants to infect. This suggests that the IgA antibody works through two different types of immune activity: acquired immunity, which is traditionally associated with antibodies that specifically recognize pathogens, and innate immunity, which is more of a nonspecific, broad-ranging attack.

IgAs are notoriously hard to work with, so Hangartner says future research will focus on developing antibodies that are easier to produce and can be tested in mice.

Hangartner says these findings could be translated into effective treatments for people who have already been infected or who are in close contact with potentially lethal flu strains. He adds that because these antibodies are so potent, only a small amount of material would be needed to provide protection. This means that a future treatment could be offered to more people, and potentially at a lower cost.

We think if we could graft this tail onto a more manageable antibody molecule, it would be much easier to handle, adds Hangartner. It would combine the best of both worlds and give us a molecule that's more effective and hardy, and that ultimately may be useful in the clinic.

Other authors of the study, Glycosylation of human IgA directly inhibits influenza A and other sialic-acid binding viruses, were Matteo Bianchi, Hannah L. Turner and Andrew B. Ward of The Scripps Research Institute; Michael A. Maurer, Larissa Meyer, Marco Steck, Arkadiusz Wyrzucki, and Vanessa Orlowski of the University of Zurich; and Max Crispin of the University of Oxford and the University of Southampton.

This research was funded by grants from the Swiss National Foundation, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and an IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center/Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery grant, and the Singapore A*STAR program.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) is one of the worlds largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. TSRI is internationally recognized for its contributions to science and health, including its role in laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. An institution that evolved from the Scripps Metabolic Clinic founded by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps in 1924, the institute now employs more than 2,500 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists including two Nobel laureates and 20 members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering or Medicine work toward their next discoveries. The institutes graduate program, which awards PhD degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. In October 2016, TSRI announced a strategic affiliation with the California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr), representing a renewed commitment to the discovery and development of new medicines to address unmet medical needs. For more information, see www.scripps.edu.

# # #

For information:

Office of Communications

Tel: 858-784-2666

Fax: 858-784-8118

press@scripps.edu
LINK: http://www.scripps.edu/news/press/2018/20180403_influenza_antibody.htm...
See more stories from scripps

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

12/03/2026

Gray Stresses Importance of DRM for NextGen TV in FCC Sports Probe

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/03/2026

Nebraska's HuskerVision Deploy Lawo IP Tech for Studio Upgrade

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/03/2026

Comcast NBCU, Telemundo Station Group Announce $600,000 In Grants

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/03/2026

EditShare To Highlight Analytical AI Capabilities At 2026 NAB Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/03/2026

FreeWheel Launches AI Agent Infrastructure

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/03/2026

COW Jobs: Editor de Vdeo - Direct Response, Performance Ads - Brazil, Remote

COW Jobs: Editor de V deo - Direct Response, Performance Ads - Brazil, Remote Brie Clayton March 11, 2026 0 Comments Editor(a) de V deo (Direct Respon...

12/03/2026

Avatar: Fire and Ash Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio

Avatar: Fire and Ash Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton March 11, 2026 0 Comments Colorist delivers premium cinematic color across 2D, 3D...

12/03/2026

Boston Conservatory to Timothe Chalamet: We Care About Ballet and Opera

Boston Conservatory to Timoth e Chalamet: We Care About Ballet and Opera Boston Conservatory at Berklee students and faculty respond to the actors recent comm...

11/03/2026

Calrec To Unlock Hybrid Workflows At 2026 NAB Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/03/2026

Matrox Video Enables the Next Era of Software-Defined Med...

Matrox Video will showcase its vision for the future of live production at NAB 2026 in Las Vegas, April 19-22, highlighting how broadcasters and media organizat...

11/03/2026

GlobalM Showcases Distributed Video Gateway Architecture...

Geneva-based technology company, GlobalM SA, is presenting its GMX Distributed Video Gateway, a software-defined IP media transport platform designed to replace...

11/03/2026

Video is King - 2026 Iconik Media Stats Report Finds Vide...

Backlight (booth #N2829), the company behind Iconik and Wildmoka, which power video workflows for large media and entertainment organizations, has released the ...

11/03/2026

QuickLinks Latest StudioEdge Models to Make North America...

QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, presents its latest StudioEdge models at The NAB Show ...

11/03/2026

Telestream Expands Its Cloud Services with the Introducti...

Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, today announced the expansion of Telestream Cloud Services with the introduction of UP, a new cloud-...

11/03/2026

Operative Launches AOS Configuration for Digital-First Mo...

Operative, the preferred advertising management provider for the world's leading media brands, today announced the launch of AOS for digital media, an AI-po...

11/03/2026

Calrec Redefines Broadcast Workflows at NAB 2026

Calrec will be located in Central Hall, on Booth C6907 Choice without compromise The broadcast industry is going through a rapid evolution that s signalling a...

11/03/2026

Worldstream and Cubbit launch sovereign S3 cloud storage...

The new service is hosted and operated entirely in the Netherlands, combining data sovereignty, resilience, scalability, and predictable costs without relying...

11/03/2026

Ease Live powers interactive Premier Padel experiences on...

Ease Live, an Evertz company and leader in interactive graphical overlays, today announced the successful deployment of its platform on Red Bull TV for Premier ...

11/03/2026

Mediagenix Title Management Accelerates Content Monetizat...

Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, is advancing its Semantic Intelligence cap...

11/03/2026

Emergent Launches Fusion- The Interactive Anything Platfo...

Emergent, a leading provider of AI-enhanced media production solutions, today announced the official launch of Fusion, a powerful, no-code application builder d...

11/03/2026

Techex Names Matt McKee as Senior Director of Sales, Americas

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/03/2026

IAB Tech Lab Announces Content Monetization Protocol for AI LLMs

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/03/2026

Mondae Hott Joins Kokusai Denki as Northeast Sales Manager

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/03/2026

Gray Media to Air Cincinnati Reds' Games on WXIX FOX19

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/03/2026

Shure Audio Solutions Deliver Super Bowl Win

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/03/2026

UK's First Live Broadcast Using New n40 Private 5G Spectrum

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/03/2026

Utah Scientific Expands Technology Partner Program With I...

Utah Scientific today announced the expansion of its Technology Partner Program with the addition of Audinate, Bitfocus, and Skaarhoj, three industry leaders wh...

11/03/2026

DigitalGlue Ends the Post Production Tax creativespace In...

DigitalGlue, creator of the creative.space on-premise managed storage platform, today revealed plans to launch creative.space Intelligence (CSI) at NAB 2026 (Bo...

11/03/2026

Maxon and Tencent Cloud Partner to Integrate HY 3D into C...

Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, gaming, and more, has annou...

11/03/2026

NUGEN Audio Halo Vision Plug In Serves as Spatial Compass...

Composer and Re-recording Mixer Michael Phillips Keeley has built his career around immersive storytelling. Working from his Dolby Atmos-equipped studio, Sound ...

11/03/2026

YES selects Synamedia Iris to power advanced advertising

Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced that YES, the pay-TV subsidiary of the telco Bezeq (TASE: BEZQ), has selected Synamedia Iris to delive...

11/03/2026

Cost Savings Scalability and Smarter Monetization Viacces...

As media companies face increasing cost pressures and operational complexity, at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Viaccess-Orca (VO), a global leader in OTT / TV...

11/03/2026

Digital Alert Systems Unveils Version 6 Software for DASD...

Digital Alert Systems, a global leader in emergency communications solutions for media providers, today announced the release of Version 6 software for its DASD...

11/03/2026

SES Brings Satellite Connectivity to Refugees in Chad

First Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) deployment of the emergency.lu platform for refugees and their host communities' use provides dependable broadband for humani...

11/03/2026

Foundry releases Nuke 17.0

Foundry releases Nuke 17.0 Brie Clayton March 1, 2026 0 Comments Native Gaussian Splat support, new 3D system based on USD, expanded machine learning ca...

11/03/2026

Preserving UNESCO World Heritage with URSA Cine Immersive

Preserving UNESCO World Heritage with URSA Cine Immersive Brie Clayton March 1, 2026 0 Comments The Explorers turned to France's cultural landmark...

11/03/2026

I Clicked This By Accident And It Made After Effects SO Much Faster

I Clicked This By Accident And It Made After Effects SO Much Faster Graham Quince March 1, 2026 0 Comments Discover how Region of Interest in Adobe A...

11/03/2026

Cine Gear Connect Brings a Focused All-Day Experience to Industry City, NY

Cine Gear Connect Brings a Focused All-Day Experience to Industry City, NY Brie Clayton March 4, 2026 0 Comments Registration is now open for Cine Gea...

11/03/2026

La Vorgine Edited and Finished with DaVinci Resolve Studio

La Vor gine Edited and Finished with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton March 4, 2026 0 Comments One of Colombia's most ambitious projects goes g...

11/03/2026

SoundMarket Launches 18,000+ Tracks of Real Music by Award-Winning Composers for Editors and Post Professionals

SoundMarket Launches 18,000 Tracks of Real Music by Award-Winning Composers for...

11/03/2026

Capta Center Supports NOVO19 Remote Production with Blackmagic Design

Capta Center Supports NOVO19 Remote Production with Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton March 5, 2026 0 Comments The facility provides production and playo...

11/03/2026

DigitalGlue Ends the Post-Production Tax: creative.space Intelligence (CSI) Unifies On-Premise Storage with Forensic AI at NAB 2026

DigitalGlue Ends the Post-Production Tax: creative.space Intelligence (CSI) Unif...

11/03/2026

Kochi Sun Sun Uses Blackmagic Replay for High School Volleyball Finals

Kochi Sun Sun Uses Blackmagic Replay for High School Volleyball Finals Brie Clayton March 9, 2026 0 Comments Versatile Blackmagic Replay system proves...

11/03/2026

Richard Bona Joins Berklee for Signature Series Concert

Richard Bona Joins Berklee for Signature Series Concert The Grammy-winning Cameroonian bassist and vocalist collaborates with students and faculty in a progra...

11/03/2026

New NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Super Delivers 5x Higher Throughput for Agentic AI

Launched today, NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Super is a 120 billion parameter open model with 12 billion active parameters designed to run complex agentic AI systems at sc...