{
  "id": 3476047,
  "title": "New Zika Virus Vaccine Approach Harnesses the Power of T Cells in Mice",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/new-zika-virus-vaccine-approach-harnesses-the-power-of-t-cells-in-mice",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-26T09:00:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "GEN Biotechnology",
    "slug": "gen-biotechnology",
    "url": "https://www.genengnews.com/topics/infectious-diseases/new-zika-virus-vaccine-approach-harnesses-the-power-of-t-cells-in-mice/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Zika virus often displays no symptoms or only mild ones, but during pregnancy it can cause devastating birth defects. Zika infects the same mosquito species as dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, and Japanese encephalitis viruses, which raises concerns about antibody cross-reactivity. Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have developed a Zika vaccine that works by stimulating virus-killing CD8+ T cells rather than neutralizing antibodies. In a study published in Nature Microbiology, the team found that an experimental vaccine with mutations in a specific region of the envelope protein protected mice by leveraging CD8+ T cells, instead of antibodies. This approach avoided antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) complications and offered lasting protection, but the protection waned after twelve weeks. The researchers are now exploring ways to create more enduring T cell responses that could provide long-term immunity. The findings could lead to new vaccine strategies not only for Zika but also for other mosquito-borne viruses like dengue, where antibodies alone may not be sufficient.",
  "summary": "An experimental Zika vaccine protected mice through CD8+ T cells, suggesting a possible path around antibody-dependent enhancement concerns that have complicated vaccine development for Zika and related viruses. The post New Zika Virus Vaccine Approach Harnesses the Power of T Cells in Mice appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}