Lamyaa Al-Dalawi
University of Nottingham, UK
Title: Determine the molecular and biophysical importance of phospholipids on the avian influenza virus infectivity
Biography
Biography: Lamyaa Al-Dalawi
Abstract
The influenza virus infection is influenced by a number of host cell factors, including host cell lipids. These lipids make up the bilayer membranes for both virus particles and host cells. The objective of this study is to determine the biophysical importance of lipids in terms of infectivity by pre-treating Influenza A viruses; avian influenza H2N3 virus, equine Influenza H3N8 virus and pandemic influenza H1N1 virus with various types of phospholipids. 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) had no significant impact on virus infectivity. However, 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-Sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (DPPG) had a significant impact on H2N3, H3N8 and H1N1 infectivity. Treating the influenza viruses with lyso-analogues: 1-palmitoyl-2-hydroxy-sn- glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (LPG) and 1-palmitoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LPC) produced significant inhibition of influenza virus infection using MDCK cells and A549, that was dose-dependent. TEM images showed H2N3 and H3N8 without lipid pre-treatment are mostly spherical or filamentous, respectively. Incubating these viruses with lipids impact their morphology. Investigations of avian influenza H2N3 binding assay by flow cytometry demonstrates a high impact of the negatively charged phospholipids; i.e. either DPPG or LPG, blocking virus binding to cells significantly. Moreover, incubating influenza viruses with negatively charged phospholipids reduce cytokines expression especially IL-8. Overall, pre-incubating the virus with phospholipids seems to have an impact on the ability of the virus to bind to cells. So, specific lipids can be considered as a potential new inhibiting factor for influenza.