Merbecovirus S2 subunit vaccines elicit cross reactive antibodies and provide partial protection against MERS coronavirus
Abstract Since the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a virus that has caused a high case fatality rate of 36%, other merbecoviruses have been reported to also be capable of infecting human cells. Given the threat of Merbecovirus spillover to humans, we developed vi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | npj Viruses |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44298-025-00142-9 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Since the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a virus that has caused a high case fatality rate of 36%, other merbecoviruses have been reported to also be capable of infecting human cells. Given the threat of Merbecovirus spillover to humans, we developed virus-like particle vaccines presenting the S2 subunit proteins of MERS-CoV, NeoCoV, HKU4, or HKU25. Mice were vaccinated with the homotypic vaccines, and IgG endpoint titers were measured against S2 proteins of the same panel of viruses, confirming high cross-reactivity across all four viruses. Based on characterization by antigenic cartography, MERS-CoV and HKU4 S2 proteins were selected as optimal components for a cocktail vaccine. MERS-CoV and NeoCoV homotypic vaccines, along with the mixture vaccine, provided partial protection in transgenic mice against a MERS-CoV challenge. These findings could serve as an important step toward designing pan-Merbecovirus vaccines in preparation for future outbreaks. |
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| ISSN: | 2948-1767 |