In vitro assessment of the allergenicity of a novel influenza vaccine produced in dog kidney cells in individuals with dog allergy.
BACKGROUND
An inactivated influenza vaccine produced in canine kidney cells (MDCK 33016-PF) contains no egg proteins and may be used to immunize egg-allergic patients. Although no major dog allergens were identified in MDCK 33016-PF cells, minor dog allergens might be present and cause reactions in dog-allergic individuals.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the allergenicity of the inactivated influenza vaccine produced in cell culture in a mediator release assay.


METHODS
Rat basophil leukemia (RBL) cells transfected with human IgE receptor-1 were sensitized with sera from dog-allergic adults with positive skin prick test reactions to dog extract and detectable dog dander IgE and were stimulated with serial dilutions of vaccine and dog dander extract. N-hexosaminidase release (NHR) was used as a marker of RBL cell degranulation. Western blots were performed, and UniCAP was used to measure dog-specific IgE antibody levels.


RESULTS
The median (interquartile range) level of dog dander IgE was 8.31 kU(A)/L (1.895-14.5 kU(A)/L) and of dog epithelium IgE was 3.19 kU(A)/L (0.835-6.27 kU(A)L). Median (range) maximum NHR (at the first 10-fold dilution) was 0% (0%-1.4%) to vaccine and 10.2% (0%-35.9%) to dog dander (P < .001). In an egg-allergic control subject, the maximum NHR to a vaccine cultured in chick embryo and containing egg protein was 10.2%. IgE antibodies in pooled sera did not bind to vaccine on immunoblots but produced strong binding to dog dander and epithelium extracts. Serum from an egg-allergic control subject strongly bound embryonated egg-derived vaccine.


CONCLUSIONS
An influenza vaccine produced in continuous canine kidney cells did not trigger degranulation in RBL cells passively sensitized with human anti-dog IgE.
Wanich
Niya
N
Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA.
Bencharitiwong
Ramon
R
Tsai
Theodore
T
Nowak-Wegrzyn
Anna
A
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004285:Dogs / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
D000485:Allergens; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; C026408:anti-IgE antibodies