How dengue vaccine antibodies can protect—or sometimes make dengue worse
Project 2: Tetravalent live attenuated dengue virus vaccines: Linkage of vaccine-induced human B cell and antibody response to protective or dengue disease-enhancing immunity
['FUNDING_P01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · NIH-11111757
Researchers are comparing antibodies made after a four-strain dengue vaccine in children to find which ones protect against dengue and which ones may increase risk of severe illness.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_P01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BERKELEY, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11111757 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If your child got a four-strain (tetravalent) live dengue vaccine, this project looks at stored blood samples to see what kinds of B cells and antibodies they made. Scientists will compare serotype-specific antibodies to overall neutralizing antibody levels and link those lab results to whether kids later got dengue or had more severe disease. The team uses a large archive of samples from an actively followed group of children in the Philippines who received Dengvaxia® and examines breakthrough infections and immune patterns. Their lab work includes mapping antibody targets, measuring neutralizing activity, and studying how different antibody types relate to protection versus enhancement.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are children or adolescents who received a tetravalent live attenuated dengue vaccine (such as Dengvaxia®) or who can donate blood samples with known dengue exposure history.
Not a fit: Adults who never received a dengue vaccine and people unwilling or unable to provide blood samples are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help design safer dengue vaccines and identify immune markers that predict protection or higher risk of severe dengue.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has linked neutralizing antibodies to protection in some dengue settings, but tying specific human B-cell and antibody responses to protection versus disease enhancement in children remains an active and partly unresolved area.
Where this research is happening
BERKELEY, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY — BERKELEY, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DESILVA, ARAVINDA M. — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- Study coordinator: DESILVA, ARAVINDA M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.