Potentiation of the immune response to influenza virus surface antigens by their covalent binding with synthetic carrier polymer

The surface antigens of influenza virus, namely hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), are the principal antigens which induce the formation of protective antibodies in the infected organs [11,14]. However, HA and NA isolated from virus, when present in existing subunit vaccines, are only weakly immunogenic and are incapable of inducing a sufficiently effective immune response. Accordingly the development of ways of enhancing the immunogenicity of these surface antigens is an important step in the creation of new effective influenza vaccines. In recent years research into the creation of artificial antigens of a fundamentally new type, based on obtaining complexes or conjugates of antigenic structures of different nature with synthetic artificial polyelectrolytes of assigned composition and structure, which have a marked immunostimulating action, has made considerable progress [1-6]. Weakly immunogenic antigens of varied origin, in the composition of such complexes, are converted into highly immunogenic preparations, exhibiting some properties of T-independent antigens [i], and inducing an optimal specific immune response irrespective of the animals' genotype.