title: Increased serum HLA class I molecule levels in elderly human responders to influenza vaccination.
abstract: Increased cell surface expression and serum levels of HLA class I molecules have been shown to occur in normal elderly humans. Elderly subjects (65 years and older) generally also have a poorer response to influenza vaccine than younger adults. Some 30 to 40% of elderly subjects do not respond to influenza vaccination. Sera from 20 elderly subjects with a positive response to influenza vaccine (HAI antibody titer > 40) and 20 subjects who did not respond (HAI antibody titer < 40) were randomly selected and the levels of soluble HLA class I molecules determined before and after vaccination. The subjects who responded had higher serum HLA class I levels both before and after vaccination than did non-responders. Two weeks after vaccination non-responders showed similar serum HLA class I levels (1.78 mg/ml +/- 0.62) as compared to prevaccination levels (1.73 mg/ml +/- 0.49). The responders showed significantly higher levels of soluble HLA class I molecules following vaccination (2.64 mg/ml +/- 0.99) as compared to pre-vaccination (2.08 mg/ml +/- 0.85, p = 0.00001). Our results suggest that measuring soluble HLA class I molecules in the serum may be useful in assessing the adequacy of response to influenza vaccination in the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saririan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wali
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007252:Influenza Vaccines