Influence of antigen conformation and mode of presentation on the antibody and protective responses against human respiratory syncytial virus: relevance for vaccine development

ABSTRACT

Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) remains one of the most prevalent human pathogens for which a vaccine is still missing. After several decades of hesitant efforts, particularly after the harmful effects of a formalin-inactivated hRSV vaccine trial in the 1960s, hRSV vaccine development has received new impetus from structure-based studies of its main protective antigen: the fusion (F) glycoprotein. This article reviews studies done with hRSV F, either in pieces (e.g. epitopes) or as soluble or membrane-anchored molecules folded in different conformations or presented under different forms. Knowledge gained from these studies has provided the basis for novel vaccines that are now in different phases of development and has generated tools and reagents for developing other control measures such as prophylactic or therapeutic antibodies against this virus, which remains the most important cause of hospitalization in infants and one of the leading global causes of infant mortality.

KEYWORDS:

• RSV
• fusion protein conformations
• antibody responses

Financial and competing interests disclosure

JA Melero is supported by grant SAF 2012-31217 from Plan Nacional I+D+i. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.