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New dementia vaccine may proceed to clinical trials after successful testing The influenza virus protein M2e is found in all influenza virus strains, with each strain having a very similar version, and the protein has mutated very slowly over time. The protein NA is found on the surface of influenza virus and has also mutated much slower than other influenza proteins. This double-layered nanoparticle vaccine uses M2e as its core, and NA is coated on the surface. In the study, mice were exposed to one of six influenza virus strains after receiving the nanoparticle vaccine by intramuscular injection. The vaccine proved to have long-lasting immune protection, which was unchanged against viral challenges up to four months after immunizations. It's important to mention that a lot of flu vaccines haven't focused on NA before. NA is becoming a more important antigen for influenza vaccine research. Previously, it had been ignored or discounted because hemagglutinin (HA) is much more dominant. When you get a flu infection, your body reacts to the HA. Gilbert Gonzalez, co-author of the study and lab manager in Dr. Bao-Zhong Wang's lab in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences However, the HA protein mutates very quickly, which is why seasonal flu vaccines must be changed by scientists every year. Someone could get the flu this year and develop immunity against that particular HA protein, but by next flu season, the HA protein would have rapidly changed and they wouldn't be protected again. Next, the researchers plan to load this double-layered nanoparticle vaccine onto microneedle patches for skin vaccination. Source: Georgia State University Journal reference: Wang, Y. et al . (2019) Double‐Layered M2e‐NA Protein Nanoparticle Immunization Induces Broad Cross‐Protection against Different Influenza Viruses in Mice. Advanced Healthcare Materials . doi.org/10.1002/adhm.201901176