Human antibodies produced in DNA-vaccinated cows protect in lethal models of hantavirus

(US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases) Scientists investigating the potentially deadly hantavirus have used a novel approach to developing protective antibodies against it. The research, published in Science Translational Medicine, used specially bred 'transchromosomal' cows engineered to produce fully human antibodies. Investigators immunized the cows with DNA vaccines targeting two types of hantaviruses, Andes and Sin Nombre. The team collected plasma from the cows, purified the human IgG antibodies, and tested the material, which had potent neutralizing activity against both hantaviruses.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news