Influenza-A H3N2 Antibody

The H3N2 subtype of Influenza A virus is a significant cause of respiratory infections in humans. The virus is characterized by its surface proteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Hemagglutinin is particularly important as it facilitates the virus’s entry into host cells. The HA protein is further divided into two subunits, HA1 and HA2, with HA1 being the primary target for neutralizing antibodies.

Hemagglutinin is a single-pass type I integral membrane glycoprotein that constitutes over 80% of the envelope proteins in the influenza virus particle. It is a trimer with a receptor-binding pocket on the globular head of each monomer. During natural infection, the inactive HA is cleaved into HA1 and HA2 by trypsin-like, arginine-specific endoproteases secreted by bronchial epithelial cells .

The H3N2 subtype of Influenza A virus has undergone significant genetic drift, resulting in various strains. The HA1 subunit of H3N2 is particularly prone to mutations, which can lead to antigenic drift and the emergence of new strains. This makes it challenging to develop long-lasting vaccines and necessitates the continuous monitoring and updating of vaccine strains .

Mouse anti-human antibodies are monoclonal antibodies derived from mice that are immunized with human antigens. In the context of H3N2/HA1, these antibodies are generated by immunizing mice with recombinant human H3N2/HA1 proteins. The spleen cells from these immunized mice are then fused with myeloma cells to create hybridoma cells that produce the desired monoclonal antibodies .

Mouse anti-human H3N2/HA1 antibodies are widely used in research and diagnostic applications. They are crucial for developing ELISA kits, which are used to quantitatively determine the presence of H3N2/HA1 in various samples, including plasma and tissue homogenates . These antibodies are also used in studying the immune response to influenza infections and in the development of new vaccines .