Hepatitis B vaccine-specific CD4(+) T cells can be detected and characterised at the single cell level: limited usefulness of dendritic cells as signal enhancers.
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-specific T cells were analysed in 16 healthy individuals vaccinated against hepatitis B, using optimised protocols. HBsAg-specific IFN-gamma producing CD4(+) T cells were found at a similar low frequency (0.01%) within the naive T cell subset, the central and the effector memory T cell subset. Overall, HBsAg-specific total CD4(+) T cells were detected in approximately 81% of the HBV vaccinees. The use of dendritic cells substantially increased the otherwise low proliferative responses but not the percentage of IFN-gamma producing cells. The analysis of readily detectable CMV-specific CD4(+) T cell responses was used as a positive control and confirmed the adequacy of our assays. T cell responses associated with (in-) adequate hepatitis B vaccination can now be analysed in more detail.
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. n.litjens@erasmusmc.nl
Nicolle H R
NH
Litjens
Martin
M
Huisman
Carla C
CC
Baan
Corné J
CJ
van Druningen
Michiel G H
MG
Betjes
D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007371:Interferon-gamma