title: Comparison of long-term humoral memory development after immunisation against Neisseria meningitidis B or diphtheria toxoid.
abstract: Since genome sequence data became available there has been a marked increase in number of protein antigens that have been suggested as prospective vaccine components against Neisseria meningitidis B (MenB). Few studies have addressed the mechanisms by which meningococcal vaccines generate and sustain immunological memory. The goal of this study was to compare the B-cell response (antibody-secreting cells [ASC], memory B cell and IgG) evoked by a MenB vaccine (VA-MENGOC-BC(®)) with the B-cell response to diphtheria toxoid (DT) induced by a successful vaccine (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis [DTP]). The results showed different kinetics of specific ASC response after the primary and booster immunisations. Concerning the specific ASC kinetics, MenB vaccine induced a strong primary response, but the recall response showed a limited power over time. In contrast, DTP primary ASC response was weaker than the booster responses. We observed an increase in the relative percent of memory B cells after 1, 2 and 3 doses of MenB vaccine (mean of 0.8%, 1.3% and 1.6%, respectively) but without statistical significance. Similar frequencies were detected after boosting given at 4 months (mean of 1.3%) or 6 months (mean of 0.9%) following the third dose. DT specific memory B cell response showed a slight lower magnitude after the primary immunisation schedule (mean of 1.2% after the third dose) compared with the MenB response. However, a stronger memory B cell response was induced by booster doses of DTP vaccine at 4 months (mean of 1.9%) or 6 months (mean of 1.9%). The kinetics of specific IgG induced by both vaccines was similar, suggesting that memory B cells were responsible for the strong antibody response seen after the booster vaccination.
authors: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Professor Manoel de Abreu, 444, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, CEP: 20550-170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors: Simone C
authors: SC
authors: Cruz
authors: Giselle P
authors: GP
authors: Silva
authors: Felipe J
authors: FJ
authors: Sampaio
authors: Simone L
authors: SL
authors: Souza
authors: Alexandre Alves S O
authors: AA
authors: Dias
authors: Lucimar G
authors: LG
authors: Milagres
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines