Memory B cells: a proposed new immunological correlate for protective efficacy of Japanese encephalitis vaccine.
Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus requires dissemination within the host via the circulation for disease development. Thus, a serum-neutralizing antibody is an effective factor to protect against disease. Current licensed JE vaccines induce neutralizing antibodies and titers of 1:10 or higher are the recommended immunological correlate of protection. In this paper, the authors demonstrated, using a highly susceptible knockout mouse model, that memory B cells are required for disease protection and that detectable neutralizing antibodies at the time of challenge are dispensable. The authors proposes that the extent of memory B cells would be an alternative and better immunological correlate for evaluating the efficacy of JE vaccine candidates in clinical trials.
BIKEN Endowed Department of Dengue Vaccine Development, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchahewi, Bangkok 10440, Thailand. ekon@biken.osaka-u.ac.jp
Eiji
E
Konishi
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007444:Inulin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines; D007444:Inulin