Protection of mice against influenza A virus challenge by vaccination with baculovirus-expressed M2 protein

We have investigated the potential of the conserved transmembrane M2 protein of influenza A/Ann Arbor/6/60 virus, expressed by a baculovirus recombinant, to induce protective immunity in BALB/c mice. Vaccination of mice with M2 shortened the duration of virus shedding and protected mice from a lethal infection with A/Ann Arbor/6/60 virus but not B/Ann Arbor/1/55 virus, suggesting that the protection was mediated by an M2-specific mechanism. Serum antibodies were detected which reacted with synthetic peptides defining three antigenic determinants located on both the external N- and internal C-termini of the M2 protein. Furthermore, vaccination with M2 protected mice from death following a lethal challenge with the heterologous A/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) virus. These results demonstrate the potential to elicit heterosubtypic immunity to type A influenza viruses through vaccination with a conserved transmembrane protein.