title: UVB exposure impairs immune responses after hepatitis B vaccination in two different mouse strains.
abstract: Ultraviolet light exposure can impair immune responses that are not restricted to the exposed skin but is also found at other sites, i.e. systemic immunosuppression. Therefore, we investigated the UV-induced modulating effects on vaccination against hepatitis B in a mouse model. Two different mouse strains, BALB/c and C57B1/ 6, were vaccinated intramuscularly against hepatitis B. Mice were exposed to different doses of ultraviolet B (UVB) for five consecutive days on shaved back skin before the vaccination. Vaccination against hepatitis B induced cellular (delayed-type hypersensitivity [DTH] and lymphocyte stimulation test) as well as humoral immune responses in both mouse strains. The DTH responses in C57BB1/6 mice were statistically significantly higher compared with BALB/c mice. UVB exposure induced a dose-dependent suppression of cellular immunity in both strains of mice. C57B1/6 mice seemed to be more susceptible to this suppression. Anti-hepatitis B surface antibodies (total-Ig) were only marginally suppressed after UVB exposure. IgG2a and interferon-gamma levels, both indicators for Th1 immune response, were suppressed in both mouse strains after UVB exposure. In summary, UVB exposure induced a dose-dependent suppression of both cellular and humoral immune responses after hepatitis B vaccination, although the suppressive effects on humoral immunity were limited to IgG2a production. Susceptibility to UVB-induced immunomodulation depended on the strain of mice and their predilection for developing different T cell responses.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. annemarie.sleijffers@rivm.nl
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sleijffers
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garssen
authors.forename: Frank R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: de Gruijl
authors.forename: Greet J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Boland
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Hattum
authors.forename: Willem A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: van Vloten
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Loveren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000528:radiation effects; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013045:Species Specificity; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G