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Influenza A and B pose equal threats, yet research on type B has long lagged behind. Its dual-lineage nature frequently causes vaccine mismatches, making it a pressing public health concern. Recently, a collaborative research team led by Dr. Che Alex Ma (Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica) and Dr. Kuan-Ying Huang (National Taiwan University Hospital) has successfully isolated broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) capable of targeting both Victoria and Yamagata lineages of the influenza B virus.

The study highlights two potent antibodies, BP-1A and BO-6B, which provide robust in vivo cross-lineage protection. Using cryo-electron microscopy, the team discovered that BP-1A neutralizes the virus through receptor mimicry at the hemagglutinin (HA) head. Surprisingly, BO-6B targets the vestigial esterase domain and directly engages the highly conserved high-mannose N-glycans at the N145 glycosylation site. This direct "glycan shield" engagement represents a novel immune-recognition mechanism that has never been reported in influenza research, offering crucial structural blueprints for future universal flu vaccine design.

Supported by the AS Investigator Project Grant and NSTC. First authorship on this study is shared by Dr. Kuan-Ying Huang and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Hong Thuy Vy Nguyen. The findings were published in PNAS on April 30, 2026.