title: Hepatitis B virus immunization with an adjuvant containing vaccine after liver transplantation for hepatitis B-related disease: failure of humoral and cellular immune response.
abstract: Long-term hepatitis B reinfection prophylaxis after liver transplantation with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and nucleoside analogues is expensive and inconvenient. Studies evaluating humoral immune responses to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines showed conflicting results. Best results were achieved under continuous HBIG administration with an adjuvant-containing HBsAg vaccine. In the present study, 8 patients who had been HBsAg positive and HBV DNA negative prior to liver transplantation were immunized with HBsAg-vaccine containing the adjuvant 3-deacylated monophosphoryl-lipid-A. Vaccination was started after discontinuation of HBIG. Six vaccinations were administered at weeks 0, 2, 4, 12, 16 and 24. Humoral (anti-HBs titres) and cellular (enzyme-linked immunospot assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis) immune responses were studied. Only one of eight patients responded with a humoral immune response (maximum anti-HBs titre 561 U/l). In this patient, decrease of anti-HBs titre before vaccination was significantly slower than in the other seven patients and anti-HBs did not become negative before first vaccination. A T-cell response to HBsAg could not be detected in any of the patients. The responder was the only patient who showed a T-cell response to HBcAg. In conclusion, the adjuvant-containing vaccine did not induce a humoral or a detectable cellular immune response in most patients. Patient-related preconditions and concomitant HBIG administration should be further investigated as possible predictors for response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany. rosenau.jens@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenau
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hooman
authors.forename: Kinan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rifai
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Solga
authors.forename: Hans L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Tillmann
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grzegowski
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nashan
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klempnauer
authors.forename: Christian P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Strassburg
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wedemeyer
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Manns
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C045213:hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin