Correlation between in vivo humoral and in vitro cellular immune responses following immunization with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) vaccines.
To study the regulation of the human immune response to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) we have carefully monitored the in vivo humoral and in vitro cellular immune responses to HBsAg in 50 subjects receiving four doses of hepatitis B vaccine according to a 0, 1, 2, 12 month vaccination scheme. Twenty-three subjects were given a plasma-derived vaccine (Hevac B) and 27 received a recombinant HBsAg vaccine (yeast-derived; Engerix-B). The humoral and cellular immune responses were measured before vaccination (day 0); 6 days after the second dose (day 36); 6 days (day 66), 2 months (day 120) and 10 months (day 365) after the third dose and 1 month after the fourth dose (day 395). Based on the kinetics of the humoral immune responses, the vaccinees could be classified into fast, intermediate and slow/non-responders. Based on the magnitude of the immune response (anti-HBs titre) on day 395, the vaccinees could be divided into high (> or = 2000 U l-1) and low (< or = 2000 U l-1) responders. A close correlation between the kinetics and the magnitude of the humoral immune response was observed. The in vivo anti-HBs response was measured using commercially available immunoradiometric assays. The in vitro cellular immune response was measured using an HBsAg-specific lymphoproliferation assay. Because of interassay variability the results were considered as dichotomous variables (proliferation versus non-proliferation) for further data analysis. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the kinetics and magnitude of the humoral immune response on the one hand and the in vitro anti-HBs response on the other hand.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Gent, University Hospital, Belgium.
G
G
Leroux-Roels
E
E
Van Hecke
W
W
Michielsen
P
P
Voet
P
P
Hauser
J
J
Pêtre
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins