Hemadsorption

Hemadsorption assays can be used to determine whether or not an influenza virus is present, and if the hemagglutinin (HA) is biologically active. Since the primary purpose of this study is to develop a DNA vaccine that encodes for the HA of the influenza virus, it is necessary to first determine if the expression of the DNA being used results in a biologically active HA.

Methods and Results

Cos-1 fibroblasts cells were transfected with pHKHA or pTyIrHA. 48 hours after transfection, cells were treated with bacterial neuraminidase to remove host cell sialic acid. After washing away the neuraminidase, the cells were flooded with chicken RBC's. After 30 minutes, the unbound RBC's were washed away. Adsorption of RBC's to the expressed HA was observed.

Questions to Ponder

• What do these results suggest? answer the fact that adsorption of RBC's to the expressed HA occured suggests that the HA is biologically active

back to list of experiments