tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Nat Biotechnol
. 2026 Oct 28.
doi: 10.1038/s41587-026-03343-6. Online ahead of print.
Jefferson J S Santos # 1 , Carine K Souza # 2 , Giovana C Zanella 2 , Débora B Goulart 2 , Bailey Arruda 2 , Paola Boggiatto 2 , Mitchell V Palmer 2 , Celeste A Snyder 2 , Michaela A Kristula 3 , Charlene Dickens 3 , Terry L Webb 3 , Reilly K Atkinson 1 , Bernadeta Dadonaite 4 , Garima Dwivedi 5 6 , Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh 6 7 , Christopher A Hunter 8 , Lisa A Murphy 8 , Jesse D Bloom 4 9 , Drew Weissman 5 6 , Gary C Althouse 10 , Amy L Baker 11 , Scott E Hensley 12
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Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus has recently emerged in dairy cattle in the USA, leading to mastitis and sharp reductions in milk production. The main site of H5N1 viral replication is the mammary tissue rather than the respiratory tract and viral transmission between animals is thought to occur through viral shedding in milk. Here, we generate an mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) vaccine encoding the hemagglutinin (HA) of A/dairy cattle/Texas/24-008749-002/2024, representative of circulating bovine H5N1 viruses, and assess its immunogenicity and efficacy in lactating dairy cows. Eight cows were divided into vaccinated and control groups, receiving two intramuscular doses of the vaccine or saline, followed by intramammary viral challenge. Vaccination elicited HA-reactive and neutralizing antibodies in serum and HA-reactive antibodies in milk. Following viral challenge, vaccinated cows had ~1,000-fold lower peak viral RNA in milk and a lower occurrence of mastitis and mammary fibrosis.
. 2026 Oct 28.
doi: 10.1038/s41587-026-03343-6. Online ahead of print.
An mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccine against H5N1 influenza virus protects lactating dairy cows from infection
Jefferson J S Santos # 1 , Carine K Souza # 2 , Giovana C Zanella 2 , Débora B Goulart 2 , Bailey Arruda 2 , Paola Boggiatto 2 , Mitchell V Palmer 2 , Celeste A Snyder 2 , Michaela A Kristula 3 , Charlene Dickens 3 , Terry L Webb 3 , Reilly K Atkinson 1 , Bernadeta Dadonaite 4 , Garima Dwivedi 5 6 , Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh 6 7 , Christopher A Hunter 8 , Lisa A Murphy 8 , Jesse D Bloom 4 9 , Drew Weissman 5 6 , Gary C Althouse 10 , Amy L Baker 11 , Scott E Hensley 12
Affiliations Expand
- PMID: 42951950
- DOI: 10.1038/s41587-026-03343-6
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus has recently emerged in dairy cattle in the USA, leading to mastitis and sharp reductions in milk production. The main site of H5N1 viral replication is the mammary tissue rather than the respiratory tract and viral transmission between animals is thought to occur through viral shedding in milk. Here, we generate an mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) vaccine encoding the hemagglutinin (HA) of A/dairy cattle/Texas/24-008749-002/2024, representative of circulating bovine H5N1 viruses, and assess its immunogenicity and efficacy in lactating dairy cows. Eight cows were divided into vaccinated and control groups, receiving two intramuscular doses of the vaccine or saline, followed by intramammary viral challenge. Vaccination elicited HA-reactive and neutralizing antibodies in serum and HA-reactive antibodies in milk. Following viral challenge, vaccinated cows had ~1,000-fold lower peak viral RNA in milk and a lower occurrence of mastitis and mammary fibrosis.