University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers may have identified a vaccine that would defend against Zika virus without producing antibodies.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers may have identified a vaccine that would defend against Zika virus without producing antibodies.
Researcher Eric Weaver described the finding as exciting and novel. He and his team are confident that future experiments will yield significant findings that could have a profound impact on the field of vaccinology.
"If we can figure out the mechanism, we might be able to apply it to other vaccine strategies," said Weaver, an assistant professor of biological sciences affiliated with the Nebraska Center for Virology. "This would be a huge leap for immunology and vaccine research.
Many studies show that antibodies against Zika virus can worsen Dengue virus infection, which, like Zika, is caused by a mosquito-borne virus. This phenomenon is referred to as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of disease. This has been an obstacle to the development of effective and safe Dengue virus vaccines.
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Image: This is Eric Weaver, assistant professor in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Biological Sciences, and his graduate assistants, Brigette Corder (left) and Brianna Bullard. (Credit: Craig Chandler | University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
