A novel assay for influenza virus quantification using surface plasmon resonance

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Hemagglutinin (HA) quantification is crucial for seasonal influenza vaccine potency.
• Single-radial immuno diffusion (SRID) is the current standard method for HA quantification.
• SRID is time-consuming and may lack optimal sensitivity and precision for all applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a novel biosensor-based method for influenza virus quantification.
• To compare the performance of the new biosensor assay with the traditional SRID method.
• To evaluate the sensitivity, precision, and efficiency of the biosensor assay for HA quantification.

Main Methods:

• Development of a biosensor assay utilizing immobilized hemagglutinin (HA) proteins for H1N1, H3N2, and B strains.
• Employing an inhibition assay format for virus quantification on a sensor chip.
• Comparison of the biosensor method with single-radial immuno diffusion (SRID) for quantification.

Main Results:

• The biosensor assay demonstrated higher sensitivity, with a detection range of 0.5-10 microg/ml.
• The new method exhibited improved precision compared to SRID.
• Significantly reduced analysis and hands-on time were observed with the biosensor assay.

Conclusions:

• Biosensor technology offers a promising alternative for influenza virus quantification.
• The developed biosensor assay provides enhanced sensitivity, precision, and efficiency over SRID.
• This method has the potential to improve influenza vaccine quality control and research.