NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-21DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01531-8
Xuhua Duan, Zhuowei Shi, Yuchan Zhang, Yuanyuan Cai, Qin Zhou, Hong Shao, Yunjiao He, Gang Chen, Changgui Li, Chao Qiu, Xuanyi Wang
{"title":"Fraction of viable virus particles in live varicella vaccine influences the profile of immune response.","authors":"Xuhua Duan, Zhuowei Shi, Yuchan Zhang, Yuanyuan Cai, Qin Zhou, Hong Shao, Yunjiao He, Gang Chen, Changgui Li, Chao Qiu, Xuanyi Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01531-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01531-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Compared with inactivated vaccines, live attenuated vaccines can theoretically induce potent cellular and humoral responses through both exogenous and endogenous antigen-presentation pathways. However, the percentage of live virus particles in the final vaccine products can vary between manufacturers, potentially due to variations in production processes such as lysis and purification. Whether the live-to-dead viral particles ratio influences the resulting immune response pattern remains unclear. To address this question, we formulated varicella vaccines (VarV) mimicking high-viability and low-viability compositions and systematically analyzed the immune response they induced in mice. Surprisingly, the percentage of viable viral particles in VarV products appears to modulate immune polarization. Higher viability tended to be associated with stronger Th1-oriented cellular responses and more robust humoral immunity, contributing to an overall immune profile resembling that induced by endogenous antigen presentation. This finding supports incorporating virus viability into VarV quality control, in addition to conventional viral titers, to optimize vaccine-induced cellular immunity and long-term protection against VZV reactivation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148550062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-20DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01525-6
Sabryna Nantel, Samuel Sassine, Benoîte Bourdin, Margot Barbosa Da Torre, Gabrielle Sutton, Henintsoa Rabezanahary, Freda Qi, Lesley A Ward, Melanie Delgado-Brand, Kelsey Adams, Salma Sheikh-Mohamed, Louise Wang, Sylvie Nicholson, Zineb Laghdir, Karen Colwill, Gary Chao, Laurie Seifried, Ying Liu, James M Rini, Jennifer Gommerman, Anne-Claude Gingras, Mariana Baz, Kate Zinzser, Caroline Quach, Hélène Decaluwe
{"title":"Preserved SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses despite impaired humoral immunity in children with profound B-cell lymphopenia.","authors":"Sabryna Nantel, Samuel Sassine, Benoîte Bourdin, Margot Barbosa Da Torre, Gabrielle Sutton, Henintsoa Rabezanahary, Freda Qi, Lesley A Ward, Melanie Delgado-Brand, Kelsey Adams, Salma Sheikh-Mohamed, Louise Wang, Sylvie Nicholson, Zineb Laghdir, Karen Colwill, Gary Chao, Laurie Seifried, Ying Liu, James M Rini, Jennifer Gommerman, Anne-Claude Gingras, Mariana Baz, Kate Zinzser, Caroline Quach, Hélène Decaluwe","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01525-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41541-026-01525-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Defining vaccine-induced protection in children with humoral immunodeficiency is essential to guide SARS-CoV-2 vaccination strategies in this high-risk population. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of SARS-CoV-2 immunity at 1, 6 and 12 months after a primary Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine series in 27 children aged 5-11 years with primary or secondary antibody deficiencies and 48 matched healthy controls. Functional T-cell responses were quantified by IFN-γ and IL-2 ELISpot, and SARS-CoV-2-specific B-cells and T-cells were assessed by spectral cytometry. Systemic and mucosal antibody responses were measured in serum and saliva, and neutralizing activity against ancestral and Omicron BA.5 strains was evaluated through microneutralization. Children with humoral immunodeficiency exhibited impaired systemic antibody responses after two mRNA doses, even after SARS-CoV-2 infection. A third dose improved humoral immunity in children with preserved B-cell compartments but did not rescue neutralizing antibody responses in those with severe B-cell lymphopenia. In contrast, preserved, polyfunctional SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses were observed in children with humoral immunodeficiency, including those with severe B-cell lymphopenia, and were higher in asymptomatic immunocompromised children. These findings reveal a dissociation between humoral failure and preserved cellular immunity in B-cell-deficient children, supporting timely vaccination and integration of T-cell responses into vaccine-response assessment when neutralizing antibodies are absent.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13639029/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148536442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-19DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01528-3
Eman A Toraih, Dara Bruce, Mohammad H Hussein, Hani Aiash, Stephen J Thomas
{"title":"Multiorgan Outcomes Following BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccination vs SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A 30-Million-Person Real-World Cohort Analysis.","authors":"Eman A Toraih, Dara Bruce, Mohammad H Hussein, Hani Aiash, Stephen J Thomas","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01528-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01528-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SARS-CoV-2 infection and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination carry distinct cardiovascular risk profiles, yet direct comparative evidence across all immunological exposure groups and both sexes remains limited. Using the TriNetX Research Network (December 2020-December 2024), we stratified 30.3 million individuals into four mutually exclusive cohorts: uninfected/unvaccinated controls (G1), infected/unvaccinated (G2), vaccinated-only (G3), and hybrid immunity (G4). Fifty prespecified cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and mortality outcomes were evaluated across four temporal windows (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and >9 months) with analyses stratified by biological sex. SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with 3- to 5-fold increases in cardiovascular events during the acute phase, including myocarditis (males: RR 4.44; females: RR 5.59) and all-cause mortality (males: RR 4.53), with risks persisting beyond nine months. BNT162b2 vaccination conferred 65-76% reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events (0-3 months). Post-infection vaccination (hybrid immunity) provided an additional 36-38% MACE reduction; males exhibited late pericarditis elevation beyond nine months. Completing the two-dose primary series maximally reduced mortality (by 77%) and myocarditis (by 62%) versus single dosing. In this US cohort, SARS-CoV-2 infection confers substantially greater and more sustained cardiovascular risk than BNT162b2 vaccination across all comparisons and both sexes, consistent with a favorable cardiovascular risk-benefit profile for vaccination.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148520635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-18DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01529-2
Ekaterina V Ovcharenko, Marina R Patysheva, Kirill M Kirilenko, Arina A Ibragimova, Evgeny V Denisov
{"title":"Single-cell technologies in mRNA cancer vaccines.","authors":"Ekaterina V Ovcharenko, Marina R Patysheva, Kirill M Kirilenko, Arina A Ibragimova, Evgeny V Denisov","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01529-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01529-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The fast evolution of mRNA-based cancer therapeutics requires advanced frameworks to overcome the challenges of tumor heterogeneity and the immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment. In this context, single-cell technologies enable characterization of immune cell subsets, intercellular communication, and therapy resistance drivers. The shift to single-cell profiling provides a transition toward the development of precision mRNA treatments tailored to the unique dynamics of an individual tumor.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148497739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A19Δbpe275 emerges as a safer live attenuated vaccine candidate.","authors":"Enhui Dai, Dongjie Sun, Yifan Wu, Mengtao Zhang, Yanxiao Zhao, Shijin Jiang, Jiabo Ding","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01522-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01522-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brucellosis remains a major global challenge to both animal production and public health. Brucella abortus A19, are limited in their application due to residual virulence and interference with serodiagnosis. The intracellular survival and immune evasion of Brucella critically depend on effector proteins delivered by the Type IV Secretion System (T4SS), yet the functions of many of these effectors remain poorly defined. In this study, we constructed a markerless deletion mutant A19Δbpe275, and comprehensively evaluated its phenotype, virulence, and vaccine potential. The A19Δbpe275 mutant retained smooth lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure, in vitro growth kinetics, and genetic stability, but exhibited significantly impaired long-term intracellular survival in macrophages. In murine infection models, A19Δbpe275 displayed markedly attenuated virulence, characterized by consistently lower splenic bacterial loads, milder histopathological lesions, and accelerated clearance. Immunologically, infection with A19Δbpe275 was associated with a robust and sustained immune profile characterized by elevated Th1-associated cytokines. A19Δbpe275 conferred comparable protective efficacy an improved safety profile in the non-pregnant murine model against challenge with the virulent B. abortus 2308 and demonstrated cross-protection against B. melitensis 16 M. Collectively, by achieving an optimal balance between attenuated virulence and preserved immunogenicity, A19Δbpe275 emerges as a promising candidate for next-generation live attenuated brucellosis vaccines.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148472102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-14DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01526-5
Sineenart Sengyee, Caitlyn E Orne, Sarah B Weiby, Lindsey K Schmidt, Federico Urbano-Munoz, Jiri Vlach, Christian Heiss, Parastoo Azadi, Narisara Chantratita, Mary N Burtnick, Paul J Brett
{"title":"Safety and immunogenicity testing of a melioidosis subunit vaccine candidate in cynomolgus macaques.","authors":"Sineenart Sengyee, Caitlyn E Orne, Sarah B Weiby, Lindsey K Schmidt, Federico Urbano-Munoz, Jiri Vlach, Christian Heiss, Parastoo Azadi, Narisara Chantratita, Mary N Burtnick, Paul J Brett","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01526-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01526-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Burkholderia pseudomallei, the etiologic agent of melioidosis, is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes severe disease in humans and animals. In this study, we evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of our lead melioidosis subunit vaccine candidate in cynomolgus macaques. To accomplish this, the 6-deoxyheptan capsular polysaccharide (CPS) from Burkholderia thailandensis E555 was purified using a phenol-free extraction process and then conjugated to CRM197 to generate CPS-CRM197. Highly purified, His-tagless B. pseudomallei Hcp1 (Hcp1-TL) was also produced. Animals immunized with CPS-CRM197 combined with Hcp1-TL and adjuvanted with Alhydrogel plus CpG DNA (ODN 2006) developed robust CPS-specific IgG and opsonizing antibody responses, alongside strong Hcp1-specific IgG and measurable IFN-γ-secreting T-cell responses. Importantly, the vaccine formulations tested were well tolerated, with no adverse events after three doses. Collectively, these studies establish good manufacturing practices-compatible processes for our vaccine antigens and demonstrate the safety and immunogenicity of the subunit vaccine in non-human primates, supporting continued advancement towards a human clinical trial.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148448394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-14DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01517-6
Essie Komla, Connor Whalen, Oscar B Torres, Agnieszka Sulima, Arthur E Jacobson, Kenner C Rice, Gary R Matyas
{"title":"Optimization of heroin conjugate vaccine performance in rodent models.","authors":"Essie Komla, Connor Whalen, Oscar B Torres, Agnieszka Sulima, Arthur E Jacobson, Kenner C Rice, Gary R Matyas","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01517-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01517-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains a global public health concern, exerting a significant economic burden on societies worldwide. To combat the rise of substance use disorder, a complementary vaccine-based intervention was developed to support and strengthen the existing treatment modalities. Hapten-protein conjugate vaccines are employed as a promising novel strategy for neutralizing nonimmunogenic small-molecule drugs such as opioids by eliciting drug-specific antibodies that sequester opioids in circulation before reaching the brain. In this study, multiple parameters to optimize the efficacy of the TT-6-AmHap heroin conjugate vaccine were investigated in mice and rats, focusing on dose optimization, hapten density, booster timing, and cross-reactivity with other prescription opioids. Binding antibody responses were quantified, and vaccine efficacy was assessed using nociceptive assays following a drug challenge. Immunization with TT-6-AmHap vaccine in combination with adjuvants ALF43 and Alhydrogel<sup>®</sup> (ALFA), demonstrated a robust in-vivo efficacy across multiple opioid challenges including heroin, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone. Both antibody titers to 6-AmHap and protective efficacy were maintained following repeated heroin challenges up to 54 weeks. Notably, these repeat heroin challenges did not induce any measurable decline in antibody titers. Further characterization of the vaccine responses indicated a strong correlation between hapten density on the carrier protein and both binding antibody titers and overall vaccine efficacy. These findings support the continued development of hapten-based conjugate vaccines for OUD and demonstrate that an optimized vaccine can provide long-lasting protection against the antinociceptive effects of opioids in animals, laying the groundwork for future translational studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148448398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-10DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01523-8
Kelly Pyles, Tamarand L Darling, Lin-Chen Huang, Mimi Guebre-Xabier, Melinda Hersey, Ann M Greene, Nita Patel, Gale Smith, Adrianus C M Boon
{"title":"Intranasal and intramuscular H5-Matrix-M nanoparticle vaccines protects against highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus in mice.","authors":"Kelly Pyles, Tamarand L Darling, Lin-Chen Huang, Mimi Guebre-Xabier, Melinda Hersey, Ann M Greene, Nita Patel, Gale Smith, Adrianus C M Boon","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01523-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01523-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The emergence of clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus in dairy cows and transmission to humans has heightened public health concerns. In this work, we characterized the immunogenicity and efficacy of a Matrix-M®-adjuvanted nanoparticle protein vaccine containing recombinant H5 HA of A/American wigeon/South Carolina/22/000345-001/2021 virus (clade 2.3.4.4b, H5-MNP). In naïve mice, intranasal or intramuscular vaccination with H5-MNP induced robust H5 binding and virus neutralizing antibody responses and protected against a lethal H5N1 challenge (A/Michigan/90/2024, clade 2.3.4.4b). In mice primed with seasonal influenza vaccine, one dose of H5-MNP vaccine provided similar levels of protection, with fewer breakthrough infections detected in the upper airways of mice that received the H5-MNP intranasally compared to those that were immunized intramuscularly. This novel H5-MNP vaccine technology could potentially induce protective immunity against pandemic influenza viruses in individuals with pre-existing seasonal influenza HA immunity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148423012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-10DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01415-x
Muhammed Salah Uddin, José Ortiz Guluarte, Timothy D Schwinghamer, Daniel R Barreda, Tim A McAllister, Le Luo Guan, Trevor W Alexander
{"title":"Effect of a spore-based Mannheimia haemolytica vaccine on immune responses and respiratory microbiota in sheep.","authors":"Muhammed Salah Uddin, José Ortiz Guluarte, Timothy D Schwinghamer, Daniel R Barreda, Tim A McAllister, Le Luo Guan, Trevor W Alexander","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01415-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41541-026-01415-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mannheimia haemolytica is an opportunistic pathogen associated with respiratory disease in ruminants. Current vaccines provide incomplete protection, highlighting the need for improved immunization strategies. In this study, a mucosal vaccine was developed using Bacillus subtilis spores as an adjuvant and evaluated for its effects on immune responses and respiratory microbiota in sheep. A chimeric protein (MhCP) containing neutralizing epitopes from leukotoxin A (NLKT) and outer membrane protein PlpE was expressed and adsorbed onto spores to produce Spore-MhCP, which was administered via two mucosal routes: intranasal and intragastric. Unbound MhCP was delivered intranasally and intramuscularly, while unbound spores and saline were used as controls. Intranasal Spore-MhCP generated the strongest secretory IgA-specific responses against PlpE and NLKT in nasal swab, bronchoalveolar lavage, and fecal samples. It also elicited earlier and sustained serum IgG responses among mucosal immunization groups. Notably, intragastric vaccination also increased PlpE- and NLKT-specific antibodies in lung and fecal samples. From nasopharyngeal samples, 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed 27 genera altered in the intranasal Spore-MhCP group, including a decrease in Mannheimia (days 14-35; p < 0.01). These findings indicate that intranasal Spore-MhCP enhances immunity and may reduce M. haemolytica proliferation in the upper respiratory tract, reducing lung infection risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13354553/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148423083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NPJ VaccinesPub Date : 2026-07-09DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01521-w
Shuyi Zhong, Wey Wen Lim, Faith Ho, Manjusha Gaglani, Allison L Naleway, Fatimah S Dawood, Min Z Levine, Kelsey Sumner, Brendan Flannery, Benjamin J Cowling
{"title":"Hemagglutination-inhibition and microneutralization antibody titers as mediators of protection for cell-based and recombinant influenza vaccines.","authors":"Shuyi Zhong, Wey Wen Lim, Faith Ho, Manjusha Gaglani, Allison L Naleway, Fatimah S Dawood, Min Z Levine, Kelsey Sumner, Brendan Flannery, Benjamin J Cowling","doi":"10.1038/s41541-026-01521-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01521-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The proportion of relative influenza vaccine efficacy (rVE) mediated by post-vaccination hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and microneutralization (MN) antibody titers has not been evaluated. We compared rVE by influenza vaccine type and HAI and MN antibody titer against symptomatic influenza A(H3N2) infection in a randomized immunogenicity trial of quadrivalent cell culture-based (ccIIV4), recombinant (RIV4), and egg-based (eIIV4) influenza vaccines in US healthcare personnel, and estimated proportions of rVE mediated by antibody titers using causal mediation analysis. Cumulative influenza A(H3N2) incidence was 3.2%, 1.3% and 1% among ccIIV, eIIV4 and RIV4 recipients, respectively. Age-adjusted rVE estimates were not statistically significant. Higher MN and HAI titers against A(H3N2) vaccine and circulating viruses explained 97.9% and 15.8%, respectively, of rVE for RIV4 compared with ccIIV4, versus 1.7% and 12.6% of rVE for eIIV4 compared with ccIIV4, indicating MN titers to be used as correlates of protection against A(H3N2) for comparisons between cell-based influenza vaccines.</p>","PeriodicalId":19335,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Vaccines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148423070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}