Zou G, et al. Comprehensive analysis of N-glycans in IgG purified from ferrets with or without influenza A virus infection. J Biol Chem. 2018 Oct 12.
Influenza viruses cause contagious respiratory infections resulting in significant economic burdens to communities. Production of influenza-specific immunoglobulins, specifically IgGs, is one of the major protective immune mechanisms against influenza viruses. In humans, N-glycosylation of IgGs plays a critical role in antigen binding and effector functions. The ferret is the most commonly used animal model for studying influenza pathogenesis, virus transmission, and vaccine development, but its IgG structure and functions remain largely undefined. Here, we show that ferret IgGs are N-glycosylated and that their N-glycan structures are diverse. Using a comprehensive strategy based on mass spectrometry (MS) and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography analyses in combination with exoglycosidase digestions, we assigned 42 N-glycan structures in ferret IgGs. We observed that N-glycans of ferret IgGs consist mainly of complex-type glycans, including some high-mannose and hybrid glycans, similar to those observed in human IgG. The complex-type glycans of ferret IgGs were primarily core fucosylated. Furthermore, a fraction of N-glycans carried bisecting GlcNAc. Ferret IgGs also had a minor fraction of glycans carrying α2-6Neu5Ac(s). We noted that unlike human IgG, ferret IgGs have αGal epitopes on some N-glycans. Interestingly, influenza A infection caused prominent changes in the N-glycans of ferret IgG, mainly due to an increase in bisecting GlcNAc and F1A2G0 and a corresponding decrease in F1A2G1. This suggests that the glycosylation of virus-specific IgG may play a role in its functionality. Our study highlights the need to further elucidate the structure-function relationships of IgGs in universal influenza vaccine development.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- The evolution, complexity, and diversity of swine influenza viruses in China: A hidden public health threat 2 days ago
- MHC class II proteins mediate sialic acid independent entry of human and avian H2N2 influenza A viruses 2 days ago
- Histopathologic Features and Viral Antigen Distribution of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus Clade 2.3.4.4b from the 2022–2023 Outbreak in Iowa Wild Birds 2 days ago
- Detection and characterization of H5N1 HPAIV in environmental samples from a dairy farm 2 days ago
- Genomic Characterization of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A H5N1 Virus Newly Emerged in Dairy Cattle 2 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]