Long Term Persistence of Ige Anti-Influenza Virus Antibodies in Pediatric and Adult Serum Post Vaccination With Influenza Virus Vaccine
Long Term Persistence of Ige Anti-Influenza Virus Antibodies in Pediatric and Adult Serum Post Vaccination With Influenza Virus Vaccine
Long Term Persistence of Ige Anti-Influenza Virus Antibodies in Pediatric and Adult Serum Post Vaccination With Influenza Virus Vaccine
2011, 8
239
Research Paper
Departments of Pediatrics, S.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA
Departments of Pathology, S.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA
Departments of Medicine, S.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA
Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, 48201, USA
Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, S.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA
Corresponding author: Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz, Ph.D., SUNY Downstate Medical Ctr., Dept of Pediatrics, Box 49, 450
Clarkson Ave., Brooklyn, New York 11203, (718) 270-1295, (718) 270-3289 (fax), tamar.smith-norowitz@downstate.edu
Ivyspring International Publisher. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). Reproduction is permitted for personal, noncommercial use, provided that the article is in whole, unmodified, and properly cited.
Abstract
The production of IgE specific to different viruses (HIV-1, Parvovirus B19, Parainfluenza virus,
Varicella Zoster Virus), and the ability of IgE anti-HIV-1 to suppress HIV-1 production in vitro,
strongly suggest an important role for IgE and/or anti viral specific IgE in viral pathogenesis.
Nevertheless, the presence and persistence of IgE anti-Influenza virus antibodies has not been
studied. Total serum IgE and specific IgE and IgG anti-Influenza virus antibodies were studied
in children (N=3) (m/f 14-16 y/o) and adults (N=3) (m/f, 41-49 y/o) 2-20 months after vaccination with Influenza virus (Flumist or Fluzone), as well as in non-vaccinated children
(N=2). (UniCAP total IgE Fluoroenzymeimmunoassay, ELISA, Immunoblot). We found that
serum of vaccinated children and adults contained IgE and IgG anti-Influenza virus antibodies
approaching two years post vaccination. Non-vaccinated children did not make either IgE or
IgG anti-Influenza antibodies. Similar levels of IL-2, IFN-, IL-4, and IL-10 cytokines were
detected in serum of vaccinated compared with non vaccinated subjects (p>0.05), as well as
between vaccinated adults compared with vaccinated children and non vaccinated subjects
(p>0.05). Vaccinated children and adults continue to produce IgE anti-Influenza virus antibodies long term post vaccination. The long term production of IgE anti-Influenza virus antibodies induced by vaccination may contribute to protective immunity against Influenza.
Key words: IgE, Influenza virus, Influenza virus vaccine
INTRODUCTION
Previous studies in our laboratory have investigated the role of IgE and the immune response to
specific viruses including: Parvovirus B19 in children
[1], HIV-1 in HIV-1 seropositive, non progressor pediatric patients [2, 3], Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) [4,
5], as well as in both children and adults with a past
history of chicken pox infection or VZV vaccination
[6]. Other studies in our laboratory also identified IgE
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human subjects.
Vaccine description
All adults were vaccinated with Influenza Virus
Vaccine Fluzone (inactivated Influenza Virus Vaccine, 2009-2010 Formula; Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Swiftwater, PA) and children were vaccinated with
Flumist (live attenuated Influenza Virus Vaccine,
Intranasal, 2009-2010 Formula; MedImmune,LLC,
Gaithersburg, MD). Each 0.25 mL dose of Fluzone
vaccine contains 7.5 mcg of influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) and each 0.5 mL dose contains 15 mcg
HA from each of the following 3 viruses:
A/Brisbane/59/2007,
IVR-148
(H1N1),
A/Uruguay/716/2007/, NYMC X-175C (H3N2) (an
A/Brisbane/10/2007-like virus), and B/Brisbane/60
/2008. Each 0.2 mL dose of Flumist intranasal spray
contains 10 FFU (fluorescent focus units) of live attenuated influenza virus reassortants of each of the
three
strains
for
the
2009-2010
season:
A/California/7/2009 (H1N1), A/Perth/16/2009
(H3N2), and B/Brisbane/60/2008.
Time post vaccination for subjects was 2-20
months. Past history of vaccination was confirmed by
positive immunoblot for IgG anti Influenza virus. (See
methods below.)
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241
1% milk in TBS-Tween 20 (1 ml), was added to membranes, and incubated overnight on a shaker at room
temperature.
Cytokine determination
Serum cytokines [Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Interferon
gamma (IFN-), Interleukin-4 (IL-4), Interluekin-10
(IL-10)] were determined by sandwich ELISA (Biosource, Camarillo, CA) according to the manufacturers protocol.
Statistical Analysis
Cytokine determinations from vaccinated and
non vaccinated subjects were compared on each variable. Significance between variables was determined
using students t-tests. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant for all comparisons.
RESULTS.
1. Characteristics of Study Subjects
Serum IgE levels and IgE and IgG anti-Influenza
virus antibodies were studied in children (N=3) (m/f
14-16 y/o) and adults (N=3) (m/f, 41-49 y/o) approaching two years post vaccination, as well as in
non infected, non-vaccinated children (N=2) (m/1
y/o) (Table 1).
2. Total IgE
Total serum IgE levels were both normal and
elevated in adults and children vaccinated with Influenza virus. Children with no history of either Influenza virus infection or vaccination had serum IgE
levels which were low (Table 1).
3. Anti-Influenza Abs
IgG. Serum obtained from subjects who were
vaccinated had positive dot blots for IgG anti-Influenza virus antibodies (Data not shown). In
contrast, serum from non-infected, non-vaccinated
(control) subjects did not contain IgG anti-VZV antibodies.
IgE. Serum obtained from 5 out of 6 vaccinated
subjects (83%) had positive dot blots for IgE anti-Influenza virus antibodies; they had either elevated
or normal levels of serum IgE (Table 1) (Fig 1, lanes 1,
2). In contrast, serum from non-infected, non vaccinated subjects did not contain IgE anti-Influenza
virus antibodies (Fig 1, lane 3); they had low levels of
serum IgE.
Sex/Age (years)
F (18)
IgG anti-Influenza
(+/-)#
+
1
2
3
F (41)
Fluzone2
15
M (44)
Fluzone
232*
M (14)
Flumist
34
M (16)
Flumist**
132
F(49)
Fluzone
34
M (1)
None
14
M(1)
None
15
1Flumist
virus
Fluzone (inactivated Influenza Virus Vaccine) or none. *Patient skin test (skin prick) positive for food or environmental allergens. Reference range for healthy adult or child serum: IgE: 20-100 IU/mL.**Was given Flumist in 2008.
2
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242
Figure 1. Immunoblot analysis of IgE anti-influenza virus antibodies. Serum from subjects with past history of
influenza virus vaccination or no infection was incubated with nitrocellulose strips containing influenza virus vaccine antigen
(see Materials and Methods). Lane 1: representative blot of subject vaccinated with influenza virus vaccine, who had elevated
serum IgE levels (>100 IU/ml). Lane 2: representative blot of subject vaccinated with influenza virus vaccine who had low
serum IgE levels (<100 IU/ml). Lane 3: control subject, no history of infection or vaccination.
4. Cytokines in serum.
Similar levels of IL-2, IFN-, IL-4, and IL-10 cytokines were detected in serum of vaccinated compared with non vaccinated subjects (p>0.05), as well
as between vaccinated adults compared with vaccinated children, compared with non vaccinated subjects (p>0.05) (data not shown).
DISCUSSION
The present studies are the first to describe the
long-term persistence of IgE anti-Influenza virus antibodies in vaccinated children and adults, with normal and elevated levels of serum IgE, approaching
two years post vaccination.
Influenza viruses are respiratory pathogens
which belong to the Orthomyxoviridae family [20],
and are a group of negative-stranded, segmented
RNA viruses [20]. Three types of influenza virus (A, B,
C) have been reported which are categorized by their
antigenic differences in the nucleoprotein and matrix
protein [21]. Influenza A and B viruses commonly
cause disease in humans [21]. The Influenza A virus
has surface antigens, but diverse subtype-specific,
haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA); antibodies to these viral antigens mediate immunity to
infection [21]. When an influenza virus infection is
first experienced, an IgM response is elicited to both
type and subtype-specific antigens of influenza virus
[22]; subsequent infections or vaccinations later in life
to the type-specific antigens would be restricted to
IgG responses [22].
Influenza virus causes annual epidemics, which
generally occur in the winter months in the Northern
hemisphere [21], and is spread from person to person
by either direct contact with a virus infected individual, or by virus droplets from sneezing or coughing
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vated levels of IgE are understandable. Our findings
appear to be of importance and relevant because previously described studies from our laboratory [33]
have shown the presence of IgE anti-cancer antibodies
present in patients with both normal and elevated IgE
levels which were able to mediate antibody dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity against cancer cells in
vitro. These responses were not correlated with total
serum IgE levels. We therefore speculate that it is not
the total IgE levels that are important but rather the
fraction of IgE anti-influenza antibodies as a percentage of the total IgE pool that are responsible for mediating any effects. Our discovery also suggests that
the IgE molecule has evolved to serve various beneficial functions, including anti-viral. However, at present, it is unclear how IgE promotes its activity in
these viruses.
Although IgE anti-viral responses are demonstrated, the limitations of this study include small
sample size, and the lack of racial disparity. All the
subjects were Caucasian and in good health. It could
be that the immunoglobulin anti-viral responses may
differ in vaccinated subjects of African American or
Hispanic descent as has been shown in other vaccine
trials (34). Additional studies towards understanding
immunoglobulin anti-viral responses in subjects and
patients with co-morbidities or immunocompromise
are warranted.
The results presented here suggest that IgE is
associated with anti-influenza immunity and their
memory responses. Further studies are necessary to
elucidate the role of immunoglobulins in influenza
infection and to determine possible functional roles of
IgE in this disease and its relationship to viral pathophysiology.
Conflict of Interest
The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists.
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