title: B cell memory to a serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccine in childhood and response to booster: little association with serum IgG antibody.
abstract: The maintenance of adequate serum Ab levels following immunization has been identified as the most important mechanism for individual long-term protection against rapidly invading encapsulated bacteria. The mechanisms for maintaining adequate serum Ab levels and the relationship between Ag-specific memory B cells and Ab at steady state are poorly understood. We measured the frequency of circulating serogroup C meningococcal (MenC)-specific memory B cells in 250 healthy 6- to 12-y-old children 6 y following MenC conjugate vaccine priming, before a booster of a combined Haemophilus influenzae type b-MenC conjugate vaccine and then 1 wk, 1 mo, and 1 y after the booster. We investigated the relationship between circulating MenC-specific memory B cell frequencies and Ab at baseline and following the booster vaccine. We found very low frequencies of circulating MenC-specific memory B cells at steady state in primary school-aged children and little association with MenC IgG Ab levels. Following vaccination, there were robust memory B cell booster responses that, unlike Ab levels, were not dependent on age at priming with MenC. Measurement of B cell memory in peripheral blood does not predict steady state Ab levels nor the capacity to respond to a booster dose of MenC Ag.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LE, United Kingdom. kirsten.perrett@rch.org.au
authors.forename: Kirsten P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Perrett
authors.forename: Celina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clutterbuck
authors.forename: Tessa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Amy P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kibwana
authors.forename: Ly-Mee
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pollard
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D017327:Clinical Trials, Phase IV as Topic / Q000379:methods; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000379:methods*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000276:immunology*; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D017778:Vaccines, Combined; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate