title: BCG vaccination induces different cytokine profiles following infant BCG vaccination in the UK and Malawi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  BCG vaccination of infants is thought to provide good protection in all settings. This study investigated whether Malawian infants made weaker responses across a cytokine panel after BCG vaccination, compared with UK infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diluted whole-blood samples were cultured with Mycobacterium tuberculosis purified protein derivative for 6 days from BCG-vaccinated infants 3 months (n = 40 Malawi, 28 UK) and 12 months (n = 34 Malawi, 26 UK) after vaccination, and also from UK unvaccinated infants (n = 9 at 3 months, n = 10 at 12 months). Forty-two cytokines were measured in supernatants using a multiplex bead array assay. Principal component analysis was used to summarize the overall patterns in cytokine responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found differences in median responses in 27 of the 42 cytokines: 7 higher in the UK and 20 higher in Malawi. The cytokines with higher responses in the UK were all T helper 1 related. The cytokines with higher responses in Malawi included innate proinflammatory cytokines, regulatory cytokines, interleukin 17, T helper 2 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Principal component analysis separated the BCG-vaccinated infants from Malawi from the UK vaccinated infants and from the unvaccinated infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malawian infants make cytokine responses following BCG vaccination, but the cytokine profile is different from that in the UK. The different biosignatures following BCG vaccination in the 2 settings may indicate variability in the protective efficacy of infant BCG vaccination.
authors: Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. maeve_lalor@yahoo.com
authors: Maeve K
authors: MK
authors: Lalor
authors: Sian
authors: S
authors: Floyd
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Gorak-Stolinska
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Ben-Smith
authors: Rosemary E
authors: RE
authors: Weir
authors: Steven G
authors: SG
authors: Smith
authors: Melanie J
authors: MJ
authors: Newport
authors: Rose
authors: R
authors: Blitz
authors: Hazzie
authors: H
authors: Mvula
authors: Keith
authors: K
authors: Branson
authors: Nuala
authors: N
authors: McGrath
authors: Amelia C
authors: AC
authors: Crampin
authors: Paul E
authors: PE
authors: Fine
authors: Hazel M
authors: HM
authors: Dockrell
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008295:Malawi; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D014373:Tuberculin