Avian Influenza MRNA Vaccine Encoding Hemagglutinin Provides Complete Protection Against Divergent H5N1 Viruses in Specific-pathogen-free Chickens

Overview

Journal J Nanobiotechnology

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2025 Jan 29

PMID 39881325

Authors

Zhaoyang Wang

Chongyu Tian

Jiahang Zhu

Shiqian Wang

Xiang Ao

Yanjuan He

Huixin Chen

Xiuying Liao

Deming Kong

Yongfei Zhou

Wanbo Tai

Ming Liao

Huiying Fan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The rapid mutation of avian influenza virus (AIV) poses a significant threat to both the poultry industry and public health. Herein, we have successfully developed an mRNA-LNPs candidate vaccine for H5 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza and evaluated its immunogenicity and protective efficacy.

Results: In experiments on BALB/c mice, the vaccine candidate elicited strong humoral and a certain cellular immune responses and protected mice from the heterologous AIV challenge. Antibody and splenocyte passive transfer assays in mice suggested that antibodies played a crucial role in providing protection. Experiments involving SPF chickens have revealed that two doses of the 5 µg vaccine candidate in this study provided 100% complete protection against homologous strains, but only 50% complete protection against heterologous strains. Even immunization with two doses of the 15 µg vaccine candidate resulted in 90% complete protection against heterologous strains. To enhance the immune efficacy of the candidate vaccine, we designed 6 sequences with different secondary structures and screened out the candidate sequence with the highest expression (SY2-HA mRNA). Experiments on SPF chickens showed that two doses of 5 µg SY2-HA mRNA-LNP vaccine provided 100% complete protection against homologous and heterologous H5N1 AIV strains. Immunization tests with the SY2-HA mRNA-LNP vaccine were repeated in the SPF chicken model, inducing antibody production levels that are consistent with previous tests and providing 100% complete protection against both homologous and heterologous strains of the virus, indicating that the vaccine has a stable immune efficacy.

Conclusions: The vaccine developed in this study provides complete protection against divergent H5N1 AIV strains in chickens, offering a promising approach for the future development of mRNA vaccines against multivalent avian influenza subtypes.

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