Multi-antigen DNA vaccine targeting non-structural proteins confers robust T Cell-mediated protection against Zika virus.

ABSTRACT: Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine development has been hindered by the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), particularly in dengue-endemic regions, where sub-neutralizing antibodies can exacerbate disease severity. T cell-based vaccines targeting non-structural (NS) antigens represent a safer alternative that bypasses this risk. Using immunocompetent BALB/c mice, we performed high-resolution in vivo mapping of ZIKV specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cell responses following ZIKV_PRVABC59 infection, identifying high avidity, polyfunctional memory T cells targeting conserved NS1, NS3 and NS4 proteins. Guided by these data, we developed DNA vaccines encoding full-length NS3 and NS4 and evaluated their efficacy against ZIKV infection alone or combined with a validated construct encoding secre

SUBMITTER: Santos R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12858821 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature