Decreased alloreactivity after vaccination against hepatitis B.
The beneficial effect of blood transfusions on renal allografts disappeared at about the same time when hepatitis B vaccination was introduced in dialysis patients. To determine possible immunosuppressive effects of hepatitis B vaccination, we studied alloreactivity during the course of immunization. Fourteen healthy subjects without serological evidence of hepatitis B were routinely immunized against hepatitis B surface antigen. Plasma and mononuclear cells were isolated and frozen before immunization and after vaccination, respectively. Mean alloreactivity measured by [3H]thymidine uptake decreased from 64,772 cpm before immunization to 40,213 cpm after the third immunization. In crossover experiments, cellular modulation and plasma-dependent modulation of alloreactivity were observed. The immunosuppressive effect of plasma taken 4 weeks after the third vaccination correlated (r = 0.9) highly significantly (P < 0.005) with the anti-hepatitis B surface antigen antibody titer. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that hepatitis B vaccination is capable of reducing allogenic reactivity.
Ruder
H
H
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
Kerling
F
F
Daniel
V
V
Korn
K
K
Wassmuth
R
R
D017951:Antigen Presentation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007519:Isoantigens