ISSN 00062979, Biochemistry (Moscow), 2017, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 12341248. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2017. Original Russian Text © N. B. Ustinov, E. G. Zavyalova, I. G. Smirnova, A. M. Kopylov, 2017, published in Biokhimiya, 2017, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 15771592. REVIEW The Power and Limitations of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Assays N. B. Ustinov, E. G. Zavyalova*, I. G. Smirnova, and A. M. Kopylov Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Chemistry, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Email:
[email protected] Received May 12, 2017 Revision received August 8, 2017 Abstract—Influenza virus hemagglutinins (HAs) are surface proteins that bind to sialic acid residues at the host cell surface and ensure further virus internalization. Development of methods for the inhibition of these processes drives progress in the design of new antiviral drugs. The state of the isolated HA (i.e. combining tertiary structure and extent of oligomerization) is defined by multiple factors, like the HA source and purification method, posttranslational modifications, pH, etc. The HA state affects HA functional activity and significantly impacts the results of numerous HA assays. In this review, we ana lyze the power and limitations of currently used HA assays regarding the state of HA. DOI: 10.1134/S0006297917110025 Keywords: influenza virus, surface antigens, influenza hemagglutinin, inhibitors of hemagglutination, monoclonal antibod ies, ELISA Influenza is one of the most common infectious dis endosome with subsequent nucleoprotein release from eases: 510% of adults and 2030% children are infected the endosome (HA and M2 protein), and detachment of with influenza each year. Influenza infection itself lasts the newly synthesized virus particles from the host cell only for several days, but the high risk for human health surface (neuraminidase, NA) [35].