title: Antibody class and subclass responses to pneumococcal polysaccharides following immunization of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
abstract: Antibodies of the IgM class and IgG2 and IgA2 subclasses are prominent in responses to pneumococcal polysaccharides (PPS) but may be decreased in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, among whom invasive pneumococcal disease is common. After immunization of HIV-infected and -seronegative subjects with pneumococcal vaccine, the number of PPS-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) producing IgM was significantly lower among HIV-infected subjects, whereas PPS-specific IgG and IgA ASC were more comparable. The subclass distribution of PPS-specific IgG2-producing (approximately 80%) and IgA2-producing (approximately 50%) ASC and antibodies in serum were similar. However, before immunization, the proportions of PPS-specific IgG2 for both serotypes 8 and 14 in baseline sera from HIV-infected patients were significantly decreased compared with controls. Thus, the response to PPS among HIV-infected patients may be characterized by lower levels of specific IgG2 before immunization and prominent defects in IgM responses soon after stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, VA Medical Center, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Schut
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Janoff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000145:classification; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines