Sex-associated differences in the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity antibody response to measles vaccines.
In some countries, excessive non-measles-related mortality has been observed among female recipients of high-titer measles vaccines. We determined if differences in the immune response to measles vaccines underlie the excessive female mortality by measuring the measles virus (MV)-specific antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) antibody response in 65 3-year-old Gambian children immunized with Edmonston-Zagreb medium-titer (EZ) or Schwarz standard vaccines during infancy. Among the 20 females and 22 males with undetectable anti-MV antibodies at the time of immunization, females had significantly lower ADCC than males (median cytotoxicities of 1/100 serum dilutions = 8.4 and 12%, respectively; P = 0.04). This sex-associated difference was present only among the six female and seven male recipients of EZ vaccine (median cytotoxicities = 5.1 and 19.0%, respectively; P = 0.02). There were no significant sex-associated differences in neutralizing antibody activity. Decreased ADCC antibody activity may contribute to the lower survival rate observed in females receiving high-titer measles vaccination.
Atabani
S
S
Department of Clinical Sciences, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Landucci
G
G
Steward
M W
MW
Whittle
H
H
Tilles
J G
JG
Forthal
D N
DN
D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D008458:Measles Vaccine