Influenza A virus PB1-F2 protein: a putative virulence factor and initiator of inflammation

流感病毒产生一种功能不明的蛋白质，称为PB 1-F2。用表达来自强毒株的PB 1-F2的病毒感染小鼠会导致严重的肺部炎症，而来自温和季节性病毒的PB 1-F2则不会。我们将研究PB 1-F2如何影响雪貂中人类流感病毒的毒力，雪貂表现出与人类相同的疾病。这项工作将有助于了解新进化的人类流感病毒的疾病严重程度以及PB 1-F2在介导这一过程中的作用。

Influenza virus produces a protein of undefined function called PB1-F2. Infection of mice with virus expressing PB1-F2 from virulent strains causes severe lung inflammation, while PB1-F2 from milder seasonal viruses does not. We will examine how PB1-F2 influences virulence of human influenza in the ferret, which exhibits the same illness as humans. This work will help understand the disease severity of newly evolved influenza viruses of humans and the role of PB1-F2 in mediating this.